World Cancer Day: Discovery Health sees steep increase in cervical cancer registrations
Today, 4 February, marks World Cancer Day. Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) released its insights into the disease, noting a 3.8% increase in new cancer cases, with cervical cancer contributing to the biggest rise.
Image credit: Freepik
DHMS saw cervical cancer registrations increase by 21.7%, followed by prostate cancer, which saw a 6.8% increase. Colorectal cancer increased by 3.9%, and breast cancer increased incrementally by 0.6%.
People-centred care
“The World Cancer Day theme for 2025 to 2027 is ‘United by Unique’ – referring to the importance of collective commitment against cancer, and of placing people at the centre of care,” says Discovery Health’s chief clinical officer, Dr Noluthando Nematswerani.
Nematswerani says people-centred care remains the medical scheme’s North Star in defining support available to members diagnosed with cancer.
“As the burden of cancer rises, our focus remains on ensuring that every member has access to the right treatment, at the right time, supported by high-quality clinical pathways and compassionate care through the scheme’s oncology programme.”
Accessing oncology
The medical scheme reports that 7.1% more members registered for cancer, including new and historical cases, in 2025 than in 2024.
From January to October 2025, the number of members registered to its Oncology Programme - both those newly diagnosed and those diagnosed in the past but still accessing care - reached 106,921.
It says that among these, 67,245 were claiming from the cancer benefit (submitting healthcare claims for cancer-related treatment, care or monitoring) while the rest were in remission or receiving end-of-life care.
By comparison, over the same period in 2024, 99,818 members were registered, and within this group, 63,536 had claimed from the cancer benefit.
DHMS believes these trends reflect the growing number of members living longer with cancer and accessing oncology care over time.
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Cancer claims
The global cancer burden is projected to increase significantly to over 35 million cases in 2050.
Nematswerani says over the past 14 years, the scheme has funded a total of R29bn in cancer claims.
“In 2012 (January to October), around 23,900 members claimed for cancer care, compared to 67,245 members claiming during the same period in 2025.
“That means there has been a 181% increase in members claiming over the past 14 years.”
The scheme noted that cancer-related claims amounted to R3.7bn between January and October 2025. During that period, the highest individual total claim was over R2.1m.
“Cancer care costs have also increased over time,” adds Nematswerani.
“Here, medical inflation is driven by elements such as increased cancer screening rates and more cancers being detected as a result, stages at which cancers are diagnosed (severity), as well as other factors such as the introduction of high-cost targeted and immunotherapy drugs, high-cost combination therapies, and longer duration of treatment due to improved member survival rates.”
Screening rates
The scheme also saw cancer screening rates increase from 10 to 44%, coinciding with an increase in early-stage cancer diagnoses.
Globally, many routine preventive health checks were postponed during the Covid-19 pandemic years, but for DHMS members, screening rates for most cancers have since recovered.
DHMS saw screening rates for most cancers have recovered since the advent of Covid-19, which disrupted routine preventive health checks.
Over time, there has also been an increase in early-stage cancer diagnoses — cancers that have not spread to other parts of the body — which may, in part, be attributed to increased screening rates, but that is also a function of other factors.
Colorectal cancer screening rates increased by 43.7%, and there was also a 14.9% increase in early-stage colorectal cancers diagnosed.
While prostate cancer screening rates increased by 12%, there was also a 0.9% increase in early-stage prostate cancers diagnosed.
Breast cancer screening rates increased by 10.1%, and there was also a 7.5% increase in early-stage breast cancers diagnosed.
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At 8.9% below 2019 levels by 2025, cervical cancer screening rates had not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Yet the scheme still registered a 4.7% increase in early-stage cervical cancers over time.
“Overall, these trends show how adherence to routine cancer screening offers a valuable opportunity to detect cancer as early as possible, with potentially lifesaving outcomes.
“In the case of cervical cancer, we hope that the access the Scheme has provided to HPV self-sampling will further encourage members to do their cervical cancer screening, as this test can be done in the comfort of one’s home,” says Nematswerani.