More needs to be done to eliminate preventable cancers in the Pacific, and to control others, a leading researcher says.
Diana Sarfati, from Otago University, says the region is burdened by limited resources, small populations and its vast geography.
People in the region suffer at an alarming rate from cancers that are largely preventable - like cervical cancer, or cancers that develop from obesity and other things.
On top of that, less than a third of countries have a pathologist or radiologist, all countries outside Guam and the French territories lack medical oncologists, and there is no radiotherapy.
But Prof Sarfati adds that shouldn't be an impediment to some of the deaths that are occurring.
Prof Sarfati recently led a large study for the journal Lancet Oncology which analysed cancer control in the region.
She spoke to Jamie Tahana.
Photo: Supplied / YouTube
