The rate at which the threat of malignant cancers is increasing in Poland is among the highest in the world. The average annual increase in incidence is 2.8 percent, while the average annual increase in mortality is as high as 4.7 percent. By comparison, in countries such as Finland, Denmark and Great Britain, a significant decrease in cases (4.5 percent) and deaths (5 percent) is observed. The mortality rate for malignant cancers, calculated per 100,000 inhabitants, is 7.4—whereas in the above-mentioned lowest-risk countries it is only 0.8.
Looking at a map of Poland, one can easily see substantial differences between individual voivodeships. On the one hand, there are voivodeships where the mortality rate is lower than the national average (łomżyńskie—2.5 percent, przemyskie—3.5, bielsko-podlaskie—3.7), and on the other, voivodeships exceeding the average: legnickie (9.6 percent), katowickie (8.8) and jeleniogórskie (8.5).
In 1992, Prof. J. Barancewicz analyzed mortality from malignant laryngeal cancers in the jeleniogórskie voivodeship and calculated mortality rates for individual municipalities. Once again, we see the municipalities of Węgliniec, Lubań and Lwówek Śl. with rates close to the national level, as well as the municipalities of BOLESŁAWIEC, Nowogrodziec, Pieńsk and Zgorzelec, where the mortality rate is 10 per 100,000 inhabitants! Finland, with a rate of 0.8, and the municipality of Bolesławiec, with a rate of 10—that is a shocking difference!
These are dry figures concealing much human suffering, and for us, the residents of the municipality, these figures represent specific people who until recently lived in our neighbourhood. Epidemiological studies leave no doubt that SMOKING TOBACCO AND DRINKING ALCOHOL ARE THE PRIMARY RISK FACTORS FOR MALIGNANT LARYNGEAL CANCERS.
Detecting laryngeal cancer through a laryngological examination is not difficult. Unfortunately, patients report to the doctor only when the disease is already highly advanced. They do not know that hoarseness is not the only symptom. Much more often, the first symptom may be a sensation of a foreign body in the throat, saliva pooling and causing the need to clear the throat constantly, sore throat, swallowing disorders, persistent cough, coughing up blood, or enlargement of a lymph node in the neck.
When the disease is detected early and managed properly, more than 90 percent of patients can be cured.
Since the highest-risk group consists of men over 35 who smoke cigarettes and consume alcohol, the ideal solution would be regular, fairly frequent laryngological check-ups among this population.
In light of the above facts, the medical community has gratefully welcomed the proposal of people associated with the Towarzystwo Miłośników Bolesławca (Social Committee for the Purchase of Medical Equipment for the Hospital in Bolesławiec—editor’s note), who want to help raise money to purchase specialized equipment for laryngeal microsurgery. This equipment would enable us, in hospital conditions, to perform precise laryngeal diagnostics, remove precancerous lesions and carry out certain procedures without mutilating the patient.
I appeal to the entire community of Bolesławiec, and especially to workplaces, for financial support for this initiative.