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World facing cancer ‘tidal wave’, warns WHO

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

See on Scoop.it – Cardiovascular and vascular imaging

The globe is facing a “tidal wave” of cancer, and restrictions on alcohol and sugar need to be considered, say World Health Organization scientists. It predicts the number of cancer cases will reach 24 million a year by 2035, but half could be prevented.

The WHO said there was now a “real need” to focus on cancer prevention by tackling smoking, obesity and drinking. The World Cancer Research Fund said there was an “alarming” level of naivety about diet’s role in cancer.

Fourteen million people a year are diagnosed with cancer, but that is predicted to increase to 19 million by 2025, 22 million by 2030 and 24 million by 2035. The developing world will bear the brunt of the extra cases.

The WHO’s World Cancer Report 2014 said the major sources of preventable cancer included:

SmokingInfectionsAlcoholObesity and inactivityRadiation, both from the sun and medical scansAir pollution and other environmental factorsDelayed parenthood, having fewer children and not breastfeeding

For most countries, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. However, cervical cancer dominates in large parts of Africa. The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major cause. It is thought wider use of the HPV and other vaccines could prevent hundreds of thousands of cancers.

See on www.bbc.co.uk