Paradise at Risk: Confronting the Caribbean Cancer Crisis

Sun-soaked beaches, calypso rhythms, and postcard sunsets—the world often views the Caribbean as a carefree paradise. Yet beneath this idyllic veneer lies a sobering truth: our region is grappling with a silent health crisis. Cancer has become an urgent and very real threat in our communities, cutting across island borders. It is now the second leading cause of death in the Caribbean​ (Glasgow et al., 2022), and without action, experts project the cancer burden here could surge by 66% within this decade. In 2022 alone, the Caribbean region saw an estimated 119,000 new cancer cases and over 66,000 cancer deaths (World Health Organization, 2022). 

To grasp the scale of this crisis, consider a few national snapshots from the Global Cancer Observatory. Jamaica, with about 3 million people, recorded 7,500 new cancer cases and 4,632 cancer deaths in 2022​. Over in Haiti, roughly 13,860 new cases were diagnosed and 9,014 people died of cancer in the same year​. Our Hispaniola neighbor, the Dominican Republic, counted 20,171 new cases and 11,744 cancer deaths in 2022​. Even smaller states are not spared: Trinidad and Tobago saw 3,931 new cases and 2,221 deaths​, and Barbados, with under 300,000 people, had 1,120 new cases and 738 deaths​ last year. The disease is striking at home, in every corner from the largest to the smallest of our islands.

Breaking Cultural Silence and Myths

Why, then, do we often act as if cancer is a stranger in our midst? Part of the answer lies in cultural attitudes—misconceptions, stigma, and even denial that have long shadowed discussions of cancer in Caribbean society. The result is often late-stage diagnoses despite the availability of information and services​. Every delay rooted in denial or misplaced hope can mean the difference between a contained tumor and an incurable spread.

This culture of fear and silence is literally killing us.

Compounding the challenge are persistent myths about cancer and its treatment. For example, some believe that the very tools of early detection are dangerous—fearing that a mammogram’s pressure can cause cancer, or that radiation therapy will make a tumor spread, or a biopsy will cause cancer to advance faster. These beliefs have no scientific basis, yet they spread from neighbor to neighbor, discouraging people (especially women) from getting screened. And then there is fear—raw and unspoken. Fear of hearing the worst, fear of disfigurement, fear of expensive treatment, fear of death. Too many people delay doctor visits because they are afraid to know the truth. Some women, for instance, are so fearful of losing a breast to cancer that they postpone seeking medical attention even after finding abnormalities​. Men, too, often avoid prostate checks out of fear of cancer or the exam itself. This culture of fear and silence is literally killing us. The irony is cruel: in trying to avoid cancer by not naming or facing it, we give it more power to claim lives.

In trying to avoid cancer by not naming or facing it, we give it more power to claim lives.

Cancer Does Not Discriminate

A critical message we must drive home is that cancer can affect anyone. In our region, we sometimes lull ourselves with false security: “He’s fit and eats healthy, he won’t get cancer” or “She’s from a good family, no history of cancer, so she’s safe.” But cancer does not check your last name, bank account, diet, or church attendance before striking. While a healthy lifestyle is absolutely important and can tilt odds in your favor, it is not an impenetrable shield. Genetics, random cell mutations, environmental exposures, or just bad luck—these play a huge role. No one should hide behind the belief that “it can’t happen to me,” because that belief can be shattered in an instant by a biopsy report. Our best defense is not denial, but unity and vigilance.

Cancer does not check your last name, bank account, diet, or church attendance before striking.

Early Detection and Prevention: A Life-Saving Imperative

Here is the hopeful flip side of this crisis: 30-50% of all cancer cases are preventable (World Health Organization, 2025). Imagine cutting our region’s cancer cases by a third or more simply by implementing strong prevention programs. The medical facts are clear: for many common cancers, the five-year survival rate is above 90% when the cancer is detected at an early, localized stage (Cancer.org, 2025). In other words, finding cancer early often means curing it or managing it long-term. 

30–50% 

of cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes and vaccinations.
(WHO, 2025)

Tragically, the Caribbean’s cancer survival rates are lower than they should be, precisely because too many cases are found too late. Fear and misconceptions, as discussed, lead to low screening uptake (Ahmed et al., 2022). Many of our countries still lack robust national screening programs or easy access to diagnostic tools, especially outside urban centers. This must change. 

A Call for Urgent Action

The time has come for bold, collective action at the highest levels. As a Caribbean physician, I am calling on our leaders, policymakers, and community influencers to break the silence and confront cancer head-on. Regional and national authorities should invest in comprehensive cancer screening programs, ensuring that every man and woman, rich or poor, has access to routine checks like mammograms, Pap smears, PSA tests, and colon screenings. It also means funding public education campaigns that tackle myths and fear directly. Crucially, we must also address the fear factor through empathy and support. Governments and NGOs can partner to provide counseling and navigation services for those afraid to get screened or who have just been diagnosed.

Lastly, a call to my fellow Caribbean citizens: we must demand these changes. Policy change often follows public will. If we insist that our health systems make cancer a priority, our leaders will listen. We owe it to the memory of those we’ve lost and the lives we can still save. The Caribbean may be known for its turquoise waters and festive spirit, but let it also become known as a region that faced its fears and fought back against cancer. We have the knowledge and tools to reduce the toll of this disease—now we need the political will and societal courage to use them. The Caribbean’s image as a paradise can remain a reality—but only if we tackle the shadow of cancer with urgency, honesty, and hope. Our journey toward a cancer-aware, cancer-prepared Caribbean begins now, and every one of us has a part to play in making it succeed.

Sources

1. Glasgow et al., The cancer epidemic in the Caribbean region: Further opportunities to reverse the disease trend. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2022 (Link)
2. World Health Organization. Global Cancer Observatory: Caribbean 2022. (Link)
3. Dixon. Herbal Medicines Not a Cure for Breast Cancer—Dr. Fray. (Link)
4. Modeste et al., Barriers to early detection of breast cancer among women in a Caribbean population. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública 5(3):152–156. (Link)
5. World Health Organization. Preventing Cancer 2025. (Link)
6. Cancer Screening Saves Lives (Link)
7. Ahmed et al., Dignity, Shame, Stigma, or Ignorance in Avoidance of Breast and Cervical Cancer Screenings among Women of Caribbean Descent. Open Journal of Social Sciences. Vol.10 No.5, May 2022. (Link)