Download Daniella Sarkis - World Cancer Day

Embargoed until Monday 4 February 2013:
00:01 IN YOUR TIME ZONE
1.5 million premature cancer deaths could be prevented per year if
targets set to reduce NCDs are met by 2025
On World Cancer Day, UICC and International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC) reveal real-life impact of achieving goal
Monday 4 February 2013 – World Cancer Day: Geneva, Switzerland – The Union for
International Cancer Control (UICC) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC) today announced that 1.5 million lives which would be lost to cancer, could be saved
per year if decisive measures are taken to achieve the World Health Organization’s (WHO)
‘25 by 25’ target; to reduce premature deaths due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by
25% by 2025.i
Currently, 7.6 million people die from cancer worldwide every year, out of which, 4 million
people die prematurely (aged 30 to 69 years).i So unless urgent action is taken to raise
awareness about the disease and to develop practical strategies to address cancer, by 2025,
this is projected to increase to an alarming 6 million premature cancer deaths per year.
“The estimate of 1.5 million lives lost per year to cancer that could be prevented must serve to
galvanise our efforts in implementing the World Health Organization’s (WHO) ‘25 by 25’
target,” said Dr Christopher Wild, Director of IARC. “There is now a need for a global
commitment to help drive advancements in policy and encourage implementation of
comprehensive National Cancer Control Plans. If we are to succeed in this, we have a
collective responsibility to support low- and middle-income countries who are tackling a
cancer epidemic with insufficient resources.”
The 1.5 million lives lost per year represent 25% of the estimated 6 million premature cancer
deaths that will occur by 2025, and the 6 million figure is itself based on population projections
of current numbers and aging.1
On World Cancer Day, UICC and its members are urging the public and governments alike to
speak out with one voice to dispel damaging myths and misconceptions on cancer. Under the
theme “Cancer – Did you know?” individuals and communities are encouraged to shed light
on four key cancer ‘myths’ and the corresponding ‘truth’ via the UICC World Cancer Day App.
Download the App and play your part in reducing the unacceptable burden of cancer
https://apps.facebook.com/world_cancer_day
1. Myth: Cancer is just a health issue
 Truth: Cancer is not just a health issue. It has wide reaching social,
economic, development and human rights implications
2. Myth: Cancer is a disease of the wealthy, elderly and developed countries
 Truth: Cancer is a global epidemic, affecting all ages and socio-economic
groups, with developing countries bearing a disproportionate burden
3. Myth: Cancer is a Death sentence
 Truth: many cancers that were once considered a death sentence can now
be cured and for many more people their cancer can now be treated
effectively
1
It should also be stressed that this assumes the 25% reduction in overall mortality is spread in an even proportion across the main NCDs (cancer,
cardiovascular disease, chronic lung diseases and diabetes). This is actually not necessary for the ‘25 by 25’ target to be met, as there could be more
progress on cardiovascular disease than on cancer, for example.
4. Myth: Cancer is my fate
 With the right strategies, at least 30% of cancer cases can be prevented
based on current knowledge
Cary Adams, CEO UICC said, “This World Cancer Day UICC, its members and partners urge
everyone from individuals to governments to take a stand against damaging myths on cancer.
By truly understanding this deadly disease, governments can develop appropriate strategies
to reduce premature deaths and reach the WHO ‘25 by 25’ goal. The figures today
announced by IARC and UICC reveal the fundamental human value of achieving this target.
1.5 million people saved from an early death due to cancer is equal to the entire populations
of Philadelphia, Auckland, Barcelona or Maputo each and every year.”
For more information on how you can get involved and take action against cancer, visit
worldcancerday.org.
- END About World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day takes place every year on 4 February and is the single initiative under which the
UICC, its members, partners and the entire world can unite together in the fight against the global
cancer epidemic.
World Cancer Day is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), through which we
aim to help save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness and education about
cancer, and pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action against the disease.
About UICC
UICC is the leading international non-governmental organisation dedicated to the prevention and
control of cancer worldwide.
UICC is the largest cancer-fighting organisation of its kind, with over 760 member organisations across
155 countries representing the world’s major cancer societies, ministries of health, research institutes,
treatment centres and patient groups.
UICC is dedicated to continuing to work with world leaders to increase their support for cancer control
measures, and hold them to account for the cancer commitments made in the UN Political Declaration.
UICC will use World Cancer Day to lobby to:



Develop targets and indicators to measure the implementation of policies and approaches to
prevent and control cancer
Raise the priority accorded to cancer in the global development agenda
Promote a global response to cancer.
UICC and its multisectoral partners are committed to convincing governments to adopt specific timebound targets that address the global burden of cancer and other NCDs.
UICC is also a founding member of the NCD Alliance, a global civil society network that now represents
almost 2,000 organisations in 170 countries.
For more information visit: www.uicc.org
Media contacts:
UICC Press Relations
Laura Korgaonkar
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 0044 207 798 9928 / 0044 7985 540 319
i
GLOBOCAN – online resource. IARC. 2013.