Thursday, March 28, 2024

UN Health Agency Predicts 80 Percent Rise in Cancer Burden Among Poorest Countries

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Low- and middle-income countries could see an 80 per cent rise in cancer over the next 20 years if treatment and prevention services are not stepped up, according to the latest World Cancer Report.

The report, compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO), warns that cancer prevention is taking a back seat in poor countries, as their health systems tackle such immediate problems as infectious diseases, child health and nutrition.

The report found that less than 15 per cent of low-income countries offer comprehensive cancer treatment–including diagnostics, treatment and prevention–compared to 90 per cent of rich countries.

Modelling employed in the report showed that, by 2040, the global burden of cancer is set to double to around 29-37 million new cases a year. Cancer is responsible for a third of premature deaths, as well as a cause of financial hardship and prolonged disability in poor countries, the report said. Read more…

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