World Cancer Day

  The Fifty-eighth World Health Assembly,  Having examined the report on the prevention and control of cancer;1 Recalling resolutions WHA51.18 and WHA53.17 on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, WHA57.17 on the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, WHA56.1 on tobacco control, WHA57.12 on the reproductive health strategy, including control of cervical cancer, and WHA57.16 on health promotion and healthy lifestyles; Recognizing the suffering of cancer patients and their families and the extent to which cancer threatens development when it affects economically active members of society; Alarmed by the rising trends of cancer risk-factors, the number of new cancer cases, and cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide, in particular in developing countries; Recognizing that many of these cases of cancer and deaths could be prevented, and that the provision of palliative care for all individuals in need is an urgent, humanitarian responsibility; Re...

  National health authorities may wish to consider the following outcome-oriented objectives for their cancer control programmes , according to type of cancer :  • preventable tumours (such as those of lung, colon, rectum, skin and liver): to avoid and reduce exposure to risk factors (such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets, harmful use of alcohol, sedentariness, excess exposure to sunlight, communicable agents, including hepatitis B virus and liver fluke, and occupational exposures), thus limiting cancer incidence;  • cancers amenable to early detection and treatment (such as oral, cervical, breast and prostate cancers): to reduce late presentation and ensure appropriate treatment, in order to increase survival, reduce mortality and improve quality of life;  • disseminated cancers that have potential of being cured or the patients’ lives prolonged considerably (such as acute leukaemia in childhood): to provide appropriate care in order to increase survival, reduc...