Cancer: Burden, epidemiology and principles for priority interventions

Abstract

This chapter provides a brief overview of the disease burden, epidemiology, public health impact and main principles for the prevention and treatment of cancer, highlighting the growing disease burden globally (largely as a result of growing and aging populations) as well as variations (increases and decreases) in age-standardized rates, which reflect changes in risk factors (e.g. tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, acquisition of infections such as human papilloma, hepatitis B and Helicobacter pylori) in populations over time. The chapter explains how public health interventions need to take into account the disease burden, age-standardized rates and attributable risks, including screening, early detection and treatment. The role of registries is also discussed. The importance of diagnosis and treatment is described, taking into account that access to effective interventions will in part be determined by the resources available. The need for cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and palliative care to be an integral part of universal health coverage is highlighted, as is the need for action across both the health sector and the non-health sector. The importance of partnerships between people living with and at risk of cancer and healthcare professionals is also emphasized.