16th August, 2010
With more than 10 million new cases every year, cancer has become one of the most devastating diseases worldwide. The causes and types of cancer vary in different geographical regions, but in most countries, there is hardly a family without a cancer victim. The disease burden is immense, not only for affected individuals, but also for their relatives and friends.
At the community level, cancer poses considerable challenges for the health care systems in poor and rich countries alike.
World Cancer Report provides a unique global view of cancer. It documents the frequency of cancer in different countries and trends in cancer incidence and mortality as well as describing the known causes of human cancer. The molecular and cellular basis of the multi-step process of malignant transformation is concisely summarised.
The report contains an overview of cancer prevention, including screening programmes for early diagnosis, as well as advances in surgical and medical oncology, including novel drugs targeting tumour-specific signalling pathways.
The efforts of the World Health Organisation in the fight against cancer are detailed, together with strategies for cancer control. World Cancer Report provides a comprehensive overview of cancer for all health care professionals and the general reader. Information is presented concisely, with more than 500 colour photographs, diagrams and tables.
Cancer is a devastating disease, but largely preventable. Its impact can be reduced through basic research and improvements in treatment and care.