The global cancer burden: necessity is the mother of prevention.
Summary
In this article, a critical, and yet very neglected aspect of cancer research is discussed; cancer prevention. The economic and health burden of cancer is increasing and will have even more impact on societies with population growth and aging but still, the main investment scope in cancer remains fundamental research and treatment. We need a shift in this paradigm with prioritizing prevention, considering long term goal of avoiding a global cancer crisis in the near future.
Prevention remains “celebrated in principle, resisted in practice”
While Cancer is the first or second leading cause of death before age 70 years in over 50% of countries, according to the International Cancer Research Partnership data for 2014 and 2015, only 7% of research funding is invested in cancer prevention, with 8 times more investment in cancer biology and treatment. Estimates indicate 30–50% of incident cancers could be prevented if knowledge of causes were to be translated into effective interventions.