The Global Fight Against Cancer

The American Cancer Society writes about the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases in InterAction's monthly magazine

In an article that appears in the December 2010 issue of  Interaction’s Monday Developments magazine, the American Cancer Society challenges the widely held assumption that noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) , which include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory disease, and cancer, are wealthy countries’ diseases and do not constitute a threat for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The piece, titled “Time to Transform Global Health: Incorporating noncommunicable diseases into global public health efforts,” presents current scientific evidence on the global epidemiological transition and changing burden of diseases and highlights the discrepancy between the growing burden of NCDs and the actual low prioritization of this issue on the global health and development agenda. Outlining the objectives of the September 2011 UN High-level Meeting on NCDs, the article stresses the importance of a commitment on behalf of heads of states toward the prevention and control of these diseases.

InterAction is an organization that acts as an alliance between about 200 US-based NGOs working in the field of global poverty relief and encourages collaboration on tackling global challenges from different perspectives. Their monthly magazine, Monday Developments, features information about InterAction’s members, as well as in-depth news and commentary on global trends that affect relief, refugee, and development work.

To read the article, please click on this link to visit the American Cancer Society’s Global Health Web site.

UICC Conference, Day Three: ACS-Sponsored Session on Tobacco Control in Sub-Saharan Africa, Other Conference Sessions and Activities

George W.P. Atkins, chair, National Board of Directors, American Cancer Society, moderates a panel discussion during an ACS-sponsored conference session on tobacco control in sub-Saharan Africa.

 

The American Cancer Society sponsored and participated in several high-profile sessions and meetings during the third day of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010. The following are highlights of those activities.

 

The American Cancer Society sponsored a session for conference participants at the UICC World Cancer Congress addressing “The Last Opportunity to Prevent a Tobacco Epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa.” The session gave an overview of the growing tobacco burden on sub-Saharan Africa and the efforts of the American Cancer Society and other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to combat this growing epidemic through global cancer advocacy and educating the media. The panel discussion at the session was moderated by American Cancer Society volunteer George W.P. Atkins, chair, National Board of Directors, American Cancer Society. Speakers on the panel included Nathan Grey, MPH, national vice president, Global Health, American Cancer Society; Dr. Judith Mackay, senior advisor, World Lung Foundation; Patricia Lambert, director, International Legal Consortium, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; and Anso Thom, print editor, Health-e news service in South Africa. Mr. Grey spoke about the American Cancer Society’s new global strategy on cancer advocacy and tobacco control. A large part of this new strategy includes the new African Tobacco Control Consortium, a global coalition of public health-oriented organizations led and coordinated by the American Cancer Society and funded with a $7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which uses evidence-based approaches to stem the growing tobacco epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. The other panelists spoke about the negative impacts of tobacco use and tobacco industry practices on the continent, and how the media can help inform the public and influence policymakers on tobacco control laws.

 

American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer Otis Brawley, MD, spoke at two conference sessions, “Seeking Civil Society Involvement in Global Policy – The WHO and UICC Partnership-Tobacco Control Programmes” and “Latest Developments in GYN Cancer: Cervix, Endometrial, and Ovarian.” In a conference session on “Dispelling Global Cancer Myths Through Engaging Journalists,” American Cancer Society staff Alessandra Durstine, vice president, Regional Programs, and Cristina Parsons Perez, PhD, program manager, Latin America Programs, gave presentations on best practices for cancer control NGOs to leverage the power of the media to foster an open and evidence-based dialogue around cancer. Other Society staff and volunteer leadership participated in sessions that examined smoke-free settings and strategic approaches to public-private branding of cancer organizations.

 

In other conference-related activities and news:

 

• John Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, and Doug Ulman, chief executive officer, LIVESTRONG, met with journalists from the Reuters news organization to discuss the newly released ACS/LIVESTRONG report “The Global Economic Cost of Cancer.”

 

• Elizabeth “Terry” Fontham, MPH, DrPH, immediate past president, American Cancer Society, met with South Africa’s First Lady Madame Tobeka Zuma to discuss cervical cancer issues in South Africa.

 

• An article appeared in China Daily, the largest English language news organization in mainland China, which addressed China’s “lethal habit” of smoking and referenced the newly released American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation publication The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition in Chinese, launched yesterday at the UICC World Cancer Congress in China. The article also included observations on tobacco use in developing countries from Dr. John Seffrin.

 

UICC Conference, Day Two: World Cancer Leaders’ Summit, ‘Tobacco Atlas’ Press Conference, ACS/LIVESTRONG Joint Dinner

Dr. John Seffrin, chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, addresses participants at the World Cancer Leaders' Summit at the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010 in China. See more photos of ACS activities at the conference below the article.

  

  

The American Cancer Society co-hosted and participated in several high-profile events during the second day of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010. The following are highlights of those activities.

  

The American Cancer Society co-sponsored the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit, a major gathering of cancer control leaders from around the world representing health, government, nongovernmental organization (NGO), and corporate sectors. Other sponsors for the Summit included the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), LIVESTRONG^® (Lance Armstrong Foundation), the World Economic Forum, and the World Health Organization (WHO). John Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, and a former president of the UICC, joined other internationally recognized cancer control experts in discussing progress in the global fight against cancer and contributions to a long-term plan supporting the implementation of the World Cancer Declaration. The World Cancer Declaration is a global call to action by policymakers describing 11 targets that, if achieved, will help reverse the cancer epidemic. Following the Summit, Dr. Seffrin and other leaders took questions from journalists at a press briefing.

  

The American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation (WLF) launched the Chinese language version of The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition, at a standing-room only press conference at the UICC World Cancer Congress. The book, co-published by the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation, presents the latest data on global tobacco use and tobacco control, displaying much of the data in full color maps and charts. About 40 journalists covered the event, asking many questions of the speakers. Those speakers included Dr. John Seffrin; Dr. Judith Mackay, Tobacco Atlas co-author, senior advisor to WLF, and senior policy advisor to the WHO; Peter Baldini, chief executive officer, World Lung Foundation; Professor Gong-Huan Yang, deputy director of the China Center for Disease Control (China CDC); and Cary Adams, chief executive officer, UICC. Dr. Seffrin stressed the importance of The Tobacco Atlas as a valuable resource for tobacco control advocates and policymakers worldwide. He also noted that the data from The Tobacco Atlas will be critical for policymakers in China as they address the growing tobacco burden in their country. Dr. Mackay echoed Dr. Seffrin’s assessment of the book, emphasizing that important information on tobacco use and control can be found on every page. Dr. Mackay, who is based in Hong Kong, also made several observations about the harmful effects of tobacco use on China’s economy and public health. For more information about The Tobacco Atlas, please visit http://tobaccoatlas.org

  

In the evening, the American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG co-hosted a dinner for UICC conference participants. The dinner, titled “The Cost of Cancer,” featured speakers who addressed the economic costs wrought by cancer worldwide. Those speakers included Dr. John Seffrin; Doug Ulman, president and chief executive officer, LIVESTRONG; Dr. Serigne Gueye, president, African Organisation for Research & Training in Cancer (AORTIC); and Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Mired of Jordan. Dr. Seffrin’s remarks focused on the new report ‘The Global Economic Cost of Cancer,’ released earlier this week by the American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG. Dr. Seffrin described some stunning findings from the report which demonstrate how cancer has become the world’s top “economic killer” in addition to its being the leading cause of death worldwide.

Speakers at the press conference for the launch of the Chinese version of The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition. From left to right: Dr. John Seffrin, national chief executive officer; American Cancer Society; Professor Gong-Huan Yang, deputy director, China CDC; Dr. Judith Mackay, Tobacco Atlas co-author, senior advisor to WLF, and senior policy advisor to the WHO; Peter Baldini, chief executive officer, WLF; Cary Adams, president, UICC.

 
Dr. Judith Mackay showing a section of The Tobacco Atlas during the press conference.

 

 
Some of the 40 journalists and other guests who attended the press conference.

 

Dr. John Seffrin speaking at the ACS/LIVESTRONG joint dinner.

  

Doug Ulman, president and chief executive officer, LIVESTRONG, at the Society/LIVESTRONG joint dinner. 
  

 

American Cancer Society at the UICC Conference, Day One: Opening Ceremony, Award for ACS’s John Stevens, and ‘Tobacco Atlas’ Press Briefing

 
Dr. Xishan Hao addresses conference participants at the opening ceremony of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010.  See more photos from Day One of the conference below the article.

 

This evening in Shenzhen, China, American Cancer Society staff and volunteer leadership joined the global cancer control community, government leaders, civil society, and journalists for the opening of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010, led by Dr. Xishan Hao, president of UICC World Cancer Congress 2010 and president of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association. Distinguished speakers at the opening ceremony included Dr. Chen Zhu, Health Minister for China, who addressed cancer issues facing China and the importance of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) World Cancer Congress.

 

During the UICC General Assembly meeting earlier today, the UICC awarded the American Cancer Society’s John Stevens, MD, former vice president, Research, the UICC Award for Outstanding Volunteer in recognition of his 20-year stewardship of the Society's International Fellowship for Beginning Investigators program. John Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer, American Cancer Society accepted the prestigious award on behalf of Dr. Stevens. About 2,900 attendees and 200 journalists are attending this conference, which takes place every two years. The Society will host and participate in many activities throughout the conference and staff will deliver presentations each day.

 

Also earlier today, Dr. Seffrin joined Tobacco Atlas co-author Dr. Judith Mackay and World Lung Foundation Chief Executive Officer Peter Baldini for a press briefing on the upcoming release of the Chinese version of The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition, published by the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation. A press conference, jointly hosted by the American Cancer Society and the World Lung Foundation, will be held at the UICC World Cancer Congress at 12:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, August 19. This global Tobacco Atlas, released in Spanish in Mexico City earlier this year and in English last year, is a valuable and user-friendly resource for tobacco control advocates, governments, health care officials, and the media. Chinese media outlets, including Health News, Health Care News, News Express, and China Daily, conducted a group interview to ask questions about the Tobacco Atlas, China’s tobacco burden, and a recent report launched by the China CDC on tobacco usage trends in China.

Slide from UICC award ceremony showing Dr. John Stevens and the award he has received from the UICC.

 

Dr. John Seffrin accepting the UICC award on behalf of Dr. John Stevens.

 

American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation staff and advisors at a press briefing for Chinese journalists on The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition, in Chinese.

Dr. John Seffrin makes a point during the Tobacco Atlas press briefing.

Some of the Chinese journalists who took part in the Tobacco Atlas press briefing.

 

American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG® Release First-of-its-kind Study ‘Global Economic Cost of Cancer’

On August 16, the American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG^® released the ‘Global Economic Cost of Cancer’ report summary with an exclusive story from the Associated Press. This report, authored by American Cancer Society researchers Rijo M. John, PhD, director, international tobacco control research, and Hana Ross, PhD, strategic director, international tobacco control research, is a first-of-its-kind study on the economic cost of all causes of death globally, including cancer and other noncommunicable diseases and communicable diseases. The report shows that cancer has the greatest economic impact from premature death and disability of all causes of death worldwide. The economic toll from cancer is nearly 20 percent higher than heart disease, the second leading cause of economic loss ($895 billion and $753 billion respectively). This figure does not include direct medical costs, which would further increase the overall economic impact of cancer. John Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, will deliver the report highlights on Thursday, August 19, during a dinner jointly hosted by the American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG at the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010 in Shenzhen, China.

 

Click on the following link to find links that will allow you to download a summary of the report and a press release about the report.

Follow American Cancer Society Activities at This Week’s ‘UICC World Cancer Congress 2010’ in China

American Cancer Society staff and volunteer leadership will be representing the Society at the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010 from August 18-21, in Shenzhen, China. This major global cancer conference, organized by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), is held every two years, bringing together the world’s leaders in cancer control for strategic planning and the exchange of best practices in the global fight against cancer. As a leader in the global cancer control movement, the Society collaborates with key partners worldwide to help reduce the global cancer burden and put cancer on the global health agenda.

 

The American Cancer Society will be involved in several high-profile events and activities during the UICC World Cancer Congress, including:

 

· A press conference to launch the Chinese version of the Society publication The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition

 

· Hosting a joint dinner with LIVESTRONG^® and launching a new Society/LIVESTRONG^® report on the global economic cost of cancer

 

· A Society sponsored session on tobacco control in sub-Saharan Africa

 

· Leading and participating in a wide variety of panels and seminars on cancer and tobacco control topics

 

Check this blog during the next week for updates on Society activities at the conference. You can also follow our activities on social media, through our @ACSNews and @acsglobal Twitter accounts, and the “American Cancer Society Global” Facebook page.

 

American Cancer Society Launches 'The Tobacco Atlas,' Third Edition, in Spanish at Press Conference in Mexico City

 
Speakers at today's press conference in Mexico City, from left to right: Michael Eriksen, co-author, The Tobacco Atlas; John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer, American Cancer Society; Dr. Guadalupe Ponciano, director, Clinic Against Tobacco and vice-president, Mexico Council Against Tobacco; Dr. Mauricio Hernandez Avila, undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Mexico; Peter Baldini, chief executive officer, World Lung Foundation

 

On April 14, the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation hosted a press conference to launch The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition, in Spanish, held in Mexico City, Mexico. The book, co-published by the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation, presents the latest data on global tobacco use and tobacco control, displaying much of the data in full color maps and charts. The speakers at today’s launch included the second-highest ranking health official in Mexico, representatives of the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation, a Tobacco Atlas co-author, and a Mexican tobacco control expert. The speakers were united in their praise of The Tobacco Atlas as a critical tool in the fight against the global cancer burden. All of them emphasized how the new Spanish version of the book serves as a valuable resource to give Spanish-speakers in Latin America and other parts of the world the knowledge they need in their language to move tobacco control efforts forward in their countries, including tobacco control advocates, government officials, and the general public. Information in the The Tobacco Atlas and in the remarks of speakers at today’s press conference shows how Mexico is leading the way in tobacco control efforts in Latin America. It was the first country in the Americas to ratify the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and has established a 100% smoke-free law in Mexico City, one of the largest cities in the world.

The press conference was covered by 24 Mexican journalists from leading Mexican media organizations. Speakers included Dr. John R. Seffrin, chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, Peter Baldini, chief executive officer, World Lung Foundation; Dr. Mauricio Hernandez Ávila, undersecretary for the Ministry of Health, Mexico; Dr. Michael Eriksen, Tobacco Atlas co-author; and Dr. Guadalupe Ponciano, director, Clinic Against Tobacco and vice-president of the Mexico Council Against Tobacco. For more information on The Tobacco Atlas, including three other language versions (English, French, and Chinese), please visit www.TobaccoAtlas.org or www.cancer.org/global.  

New American Cancer Society Report Identifies 21 Challenges and Needs for Global Tobacco Control

A new American Cancer Society report outlines 21 challenges and needs for global tobacco control, covering the wide range of issues to be addressed and expertise needed to reduce the rising tide of tobacco use worldwide, particularly in the low- and middle-income nations that are the target of the multinational tobacco industry. The report, The Globalization of Tobacco Use: 21 Challenges for the 21st Century, was published in the January/February issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The report’s authors, led by Thomas J. Glynn, PhD, director, Cancer Science and Trends and director, International Cancer Control, American Cancer Society, point out that the globalization of tobacco began with the European exploration of the New World more than 500 years ago. But it is only in the past 50 years that public health has responded to the death, disease, and economic disruption caused by tobacco use. Tobacco now has at least 1.3 billion users and kills more than 14,500 people every day, while debilitating and sickening many times that number. The report lists activities, policies, and interventions that must be increased or in some cases decreased in order to be successful in reducing the rising tide of tobacco use. Also, the report points to an issue it says rises above all others when considering the potential to reverse the global tobacco epidemic: the need for skilled, dedicated people to address the issues outlined in the report. The other co-authors of the report, all American Cancer Society staff, include: John R. Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer; Otis W. Brawley, MD, chief medical officer; Nathan Grey, MPH, national vice president, Global Health; and Hana Ross, PhD, economist and strategic director, International Tobacco Control Research.

Click on the following link to download a PDF version of this CA Journal article. 

New UICC Report Shows Increased Access to Vaccines Will Reduce Global Cancer Burden

On February 4, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) and its more than 300 member organizations, including the American Cancer Society, with support from the World Health Organization, raise awareness of cancer prevention on World Cancer Day 2010. This day marks the launch of a new UICC cancer campaign, Cancer can be prevented too, and the release of a new UICC report, Protection Against Cancer-causing Infections. The new campaign and report highlight the good news that about 40 percent of all cancers are preventable. The report identifies cancers that can be caused by infectious agents, such as viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens, and how these cancers can be prevented through vaccines and the adoption of simple protective or avoidance strategies. In a joint statement (see link below), the American Cancer Society, GAVI Alliance, and LIVESTRONG® support global access to vaccines called for in the new UICC report.

Each year, 12 million people receive a cancer diagnosis and 7.6 million people die of cancer worldwide. If no action is taken, the cancer burden will increase significantly, with the most rapid increases occurring in low- and middle-income countries. On World Cancer Day 2010, the American Cancer Society and other cancer control organizations focus on how the risk of developing cancer can be reduced through simple measures, such as stopping tobacco use, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding excessive sun exposure.

Please visit the American Cancer Society global programs Web page at www.cancer.org/international for more information on World Cancer Day 2010, to download the new UICC report, and for the joint statement from the American Cancer Society, GAVI Alliance, and LIVESTRONG®.

Leading Cancer Control Experts Issue Call for the Inclusion of Cancer and Other Noncommunicable Diseases in the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals

John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer, and Nathan Grey, national vice president, International Affairs, American Cancer Society, have joined other leading global cancer control experts in a call for the inclusion of cancer and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Their views appear in a joint editorial in the September 2009 issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Cancer Society. The authors describe the growing global threat of NCDs, particularly to low- and middle-income countries. Eighty percent of NCDs worldwide occur in these countries, and mortality rates there due to NCDs are rising, threatening to overwhelm health systems ill-prepared for such a growing pandemic. The MDGs are recognized by many as the world’s development and public health agenda. Placing NCDs on this agenda would help to balance growing public health disparities and reduce the economic costs and personal suffering associated with these diseases. Other co-authors of the editorial include David Hill, PhD, president, International Union Against Cancer (UICC); Werner Burkhart, deputy director general, International Atomic Energy Authority; Ian Magrath, MB, BS, FRCP, FRCPath, president, International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research (INCTR); Rajendra A. Badwe, MD, MBBS, director, Tata Memorial Centre; Twalib Ngoma, MD, president, African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC); Alejandro Mohar, MD, director general, Mexican National Cancer Institute.  
 
To read the editorial in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, please click on this link.