Cancer • What is cancer? • Cancer statistics • Risk Factors • Reducing burden and preventing cancer • Cancer Treatment • WHO/International Response What is cancer? • Large group of diseases where abnormal cells divide without control and are able to spread to other tissues and organs • The latter process is called metastasis • More than 100 types of cancer • No two cancers are the same. • Globally, 18.1 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2020 • Nearly 10 million deaths • Each year approximately 400,000 children are diagnosed What Causes Cancer? • Changes result from interaction of a person's genetic factors and external agents, including: • Physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation; • Chemical carcinogens, such as asbestos, components of tobacco smoke, alcohol, aflatoxin (a food contaminant), and arsenic (a drinking water contaminant); and • Biological carcinogens, such as infections from certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites • Cancer incidence rises dramatically with age • Likely due to a build-up of risks for specific cancers that increase with age • Combined with the tendency for cellular repair mechanisms to be less effective as a person ages Risk Factors • Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and air pollution • Some chronic infections • In particular, low- and middle-income countries • Approximately 13% of cancers diagnosed in 2018 globally were attributed to carcinogenic infections, including Helicobacter pylori, human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and Epstein-Barr virus. • Hepatitis and some types of HPV increase the risk for liver and cervical cancer, respectively • Infection with HIV increases the risk of developing cervical cancer six-fold and substantially increases the risk of developing select other rare cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma Cancer Global Statistics Worldwide Cancer Diagnoses in 2020 2.26 2.21 1.93 1.41 1.2 1.09 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 Breast Lung Colon Rectum Prostate Skin Stomach C as es D ia gn o se d ( In M ill io n s) Cancer Type Worldwide Cancer Deaths in 2020 1.8 0.92 0.83 0.77 0.69 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 Lung Colon and Rectum Liver Stomach Breast D ea th s (I n M ill io n s) Cancer Type Cancer Prevalence • Who has cancer at a specific moment in time out of everyone in the population • Includes people who are living with cancer • Incidence and survival impact specific cancer prevalence • Increasing incidence increases prevalence • Increased survival time increases prevalence • More people are living with the disease Cancer Prevalence • Globally 43.8 million persons were living with cancer at the end of 2018 • Asia - 17.4M (39.7%) • Europe - 11.87M (27.7%) • The Americas – 11.43M (26.1%) Prevalence of Cancer by Type • Breast cancer globally the most prevalent form • 2nd & 3rd most co.

1. Cancer
• What is cancer?
• Cancer statistics
• Risk Factors
• Reducing burden and preventing cancer
• Cancer Treatment
• WHO/International Response
What is cancer?
• Large group of diseases where abnormal cells divide without
control and are able to
spread to other tissues and organs
• The latter process is called metastasis
• More than 100 types of cancer
• No two cancers are the same.
• Globally, 18.1 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2020
• Nearly 10 million deaths
• Each year approximately 400,000 children are diagnosed

2. What Causes Cancer?
• Changes result from interaction of a person's genetic factors
and external agents,
including:
• Physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing
radiation;
• Chemical carcinogens, such as asbestos, components of
tobacco smoke, alcohol, aflatoxin (a
food contaminant), and arsenic (a drinking water contaminant);
and
• Biological carcinogens, such as infections from certain
viruses, bacteria, or parasites
• Cancer incidence rises dramatically with age
• Likely due to a build-up of risks for specific cancers that
increase with age
• Combined with the tendency for cellular repair mechanisms to
be less effective as a person
ages
Risk Factors
• Tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, physical
inactivity and air pollution

3. • Some chronic infections
• In particular, low- and middle-income countries
• Approximately 13% of cancers diagnosed in 2018 globally
were attributed to carcinogenic infections,
including Helicobacter pylori, human papillomavirus (HPV),
hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and
Epstein-Barr virus.
• Hepatitis and some types of HPV increase the risk for liver
and cervical cancer,
respectively
• Infection with HIV increases the risk of developing cervical
cancer six-fold and
substantially increases the risk of developing select other rare
cancers such as Kaposi
sarcoma
Cancer Global Statistics
Worldwide Cancer Diagnoses in 2020
2.26 2.21
1.93
1.41
1.2
1.09

4. 0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
Breast Lung Colon Rectum Prostate Skin Stomach
C
as
es
D
ia
gn
o
se
d
(
In
M
ill
io

5. n
s)
Cancer Type
Worldwide Cancer Deaths in 2020
1.8
0.92
0.83 0.77
0.69
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8

6. 2
Lung Colon and Rectum Liver Stomach Breast
D
ea
th
s
(I
n
M
ill
io
n
s)
Cancer Type
Cancer Prevalence
• Who has cancer at a specific moment in time out of everyone
in the population

7. • Includes people who are living with cancer
• Incidence and survival impact specific cancer prevalence
• Increasing incidence increases prevalence
• Increased survival time increases prevalence
• More people are living with the disease
Cancer Prevalence
• Globally 43.8 million persons were living with cancer at the
end of 2018
• Asia - 17.4M (39.7%)
• Europe - 11.87M (27.7%)
• The Americas – 11.43M (26.1%)
Prevalence of Cancer by Type
• Breast cancer globally the
most prevalent form
• 2nd & 3rd most common -
prostrate and colon &
rectum cancer

8. Global Burden from Cancer
Cancer Mortality Rates
Cancer Risk Factors
Risk Factors
• Globally, one half of cancer deaths are caused by modifiable
risk factors
• Tobacco smoking - Predominant cause of cancer in most high-
income countries
• 1.1 billion smokers worldwide
• Infections play a major role in many sub-Saharan African and
Asian countries
• Excess body weight as a major risk factor for cancer rising in
most parts of the world.
Risk Factors

9. • Outdoor air pollution causes between 6
and 8 million premature deaths from lung
cancer and other diseases each year
• International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC) classifies outdoor air
pollution and particulate matter in
outdoor air pollution as known human
carcinogens
• Outdoor air pollution levels particularly
high in rapidly-growing cities in low- and
middle-income countries
• Diesel exhaust, also classified as a lung
carcinogen by IARC, contributes to
outdoor air pollution and is also an
occupational lung carcinogen.
Risk Factors
• Approximately 3–6% of all cancers
worldwide are caused by exposures to
carcinogens in the workplace
• Numerous substances are known to
cause cancer in workers
• Exposure to occupational carcinogens a
concern in low- and middle-income
countries
• Exposures are likely to be higher than in

10. high-income countries
• Regulations and enforcement are often
less strict
Risk Factors
• High proportion of cancers caused by
infection in many lower-income
countries
• Infectious agents responsible for
approximately 15% of all new cancer
cases annually worldwide
• Two-thirds of which occur in less
developed countries
• Lower income countries account for up to
one quarter of all cancer
• HPV vaccination is suboptimal globally,
particularly in Africa, where infection
prevalence is highest
Reducing Cancer Burden and
Prevention

11. Reducing the cancer burden
• Between 30 and 50% of cancers can currently be prevented by
avoiding risk factors
• Can also be reduced through early detection of cancer and
appropriate treatment and
care of patients who develop cancer
• Many cancers can be cured if diagnosed early and treated
appropriately
Cancer Prevention
• Between 30-50% of all cancer cases are preventable
• Cancer risk can be reduced by:
• Not using tobacco
• Maintaining a healthy body weight
• Eating a healthy diet, including fruit and vegetables
• Engage in regular physical activity
• Avoiding or reducing consumption of alcohol
• Getting vaccinated against HPV and hepatitis B
• Avoiding ultraviolet radiation exposure
• Minimizing occupational exposure to ionizing radiation; and

12. • Reducing exposure to outdoor air pollution and indoor air
pollution
Early Detection
• Cancer mortality reduced when detected and treated early
• Two components of early detection: early diagnosis and
screening
• Early diagnosis
• Cancer is more likely to respond to treatment and can result in
a greater probability of survival with less morbidity
when diagnosed early
• Three components of early diagnosis
• Being aware of the symptoms of different forms of cancer and
quickly seeking medical advice when abnormal findings are
observed
• Access to clinical evaluation and diagnostic services
• Timely referral to treatment services
• For example, in the US, White women are slightly more likely
to develop breast cancer than Black, Hispanic, and
Asian women
• Black women more likely to die from breast cancer

13. Early Detection (Screening)
• Aims to identify individuals with findings suggestive of a
specific cancer or pre-cancer
before developing symptoms.
• When abnormalities are identified, further tests to establish a
definitive diagnosis
should follow, as should referral for treatment if cancer is
proven to be present
• Patient selection for screening is based on age and risk factors
• Examples of screening methods are:
• HPV test for cervical cancer screening
• Mammography screening for breast cancer for women aged <
45 years
Cancer Treatment
Cancer Treatment
• A correct cancer diagnosis essential for appropriate and
effective treatment
• Usually includes surgery, radiotherapy, and/or systemic
therapy (chemotherapy, hormonal
treatments, targeted biological therapies)
• Proper selection of a treatment regimen takes into

14. consideration both the cancer and the
individual being treated
• Goals of treatment is an important first step.
• Primary goal is generally to cure cancer or to considerably
prolong life
• Improving the patient's quality of life also an important goal
Cancer Treatment
• Some of the most common cancer types, such as breast cancer,
cervical cancer, oral
cancer, and colorectal cancer, have high cure probabilities when
detected early and
treated according to best practices.
• Some cancer types, such as some types of leukemia and
lymphoma in children, also
have high cure rates if appropriate treatment is provided
• Significant variation in treatment availability between
countries of different income
levels
• Comprehensive treatment is reportedly available in more than
90% of high-income countries
but less than 15% of low-income countries
Palliative Care

15. • Used to relieve, rather than cure, symptoms and suffering
caused by cancer and to
improve the quality of life
• Can help people live more comfortably, particularly among
patients in advanced cancer
stages where there is little chance of cure
• Relief from physical, psychosocial, and spiritual problems
through palliative care is possible
for more than 90% of patients with advanced stages of cancer
• Improved access to oral morphine strongly recommended for
moderate to severe
cancer pain
WHO Response
WHO response
• In 2017, the World Health Assembly passed the Resolution
Cancer prevention and
control
• Urges governments and WHO to accelerate action to achieve
the targets specified in the
Global Action Plan for the prevention and control of non
communicable diseases 2013-2020
and the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development to reduce
premature mortality from
cancer

16. • WHO and International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC) collaborate with other
UN organizations, including the International Atomic Energy
Agency
• Promote international collaboration on cancer research
• Describe the global cancer burden
Global Cancer Initiatives
• Increase political commitment for cancer prevention and
control
• Coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human
cancer
• Strengthen health systems at national and local levels to help
improve access to cancer
treatments
• Support governments and partners build and sustain high-
quality cervical cancer
control programs
• Global Breast Cancer Initiative (GBCI) – Aims to reduce
breast cancer by 2.5 percent per
year
• Over a 20-year period would save 2.5 million lives
Global Cancer Initiatives

17. • WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer
• Brings together stakeholders from around the world and across
sectors with the joint goal of
increasing the survival rate at least by 60% by 2030
• Reducing suffering and improving quality of life for children
with cancer globally
• Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines
• Goal - Increase access to essential cancer medicines
Thank you
Instructions for assignment
· Submissions must be double-spaced, with 1-inch margins (top,
bottom, left, and right) and in 12-point font, Times New Roman
or Calibri, and consistently adhere to the APA Formatting and
Style Guide.
· Students are advised to carefully proofread all papers before
submitting them.
· If additional sources are provided other than the module
resources, they should be cited and referenced in APA
Formatting and Style.
·
This paper should mostly be a collection of your
thoughts.
·
Try to not restate the facts provided in the module
throughout the paper.

18. ·
Do not include questions in the reflection paper, the
paper is 500 words beside questions.
Watch the video above and write 500-word reflection
Based on the module resources, please write a 500-word paper
discussing the following:
1. Why is cancer more likely to occur in older people?
2. What are some reasons for the differing outcomes (e.g. death)
from cancer between certain populations? Please provide an
example of different outcomes between populations that is not
included in the module.
3. What aspect of this testimonial affected you most and how
can it benefit you?
Testimonials
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWP5gMyIw1k