The World Health Organisation and Cancer - A Summary

A summary of what The World Health Organisation (W.H.O.) have discovered about cancer from scientific research:

Cancer is largely preventable: by stopping smoking, providing healthy food and avoiding the exposure to carcinogens.

Some of the most frequent cancer types are curable by surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The chance of cure increases substantially if cancer is detected early.

Quality of life of cancer patients and their families can be greatly improved by the provision of palliative care.

Cancer control is a public health approach aimed at reducing causes and consequences of cancer by translating our knowledge into practice.

Recommendations from the World Health Organisation concerning cancer include action in the following areas:

minimising or eliminating exposure to cancer causes

reducing individual susceptibility to the effects of these causes

serving the greatest public health potential

identifying the most cost-effective long-term cancer control

tobacco control

obesity control

control of composition of the diet

control of consumption of alcoholic beverages

The World Health Organisation sees cancer prevention programmes as part of integrated, national strategies. The risks they identify for cancer above are common to all noncommunicable diseases including heart, diabetes and respiratory problems. Prevention programmes for all chronic diseases are able to use the same surveillance and health promotion techniques. According to WHO recognised causes of cancer include:

occupational and environmental exposure to a number of chemicals

links between a number of infections and certain types of cancer

parasitic infection schistosomiasis

exposure to some forms of ionising radiation

excessive ultraviolet radiation

W.H.O. treatment priorities

Early detection improves chances of survival, but WHO stress