Alcohol, smoking and obesity fuel 'alarming' global cancer surge

World Health Organisation experts issue timebomb warning and say key is prevention, possibly including tax on sugared drinksA concerted global effort to tackle the causes of cancer linked to lifestyle, such as alcohol abuse, sugar consumption and obesity, has been urged on Monday by the World Health Organisation as it predicted that the number of new cases could soar by 70% to nearly 25 million a year over the next two decades.Half of these cases are preventable, says the UN's public health arm in its World Cancer Report, because they are linked to lifestyle. It is implausible to think we can treat our way out of the disease, say the authors, arguing that the focus must now be on preventing new cases.Even the richest countries will struggle to cope with the spiralling costs of treatment and care for patients, and the lower income countries, where numbers are expected to be highest, are ill-equipped for the burden to come.The incidence of cancer globally has increased from 12.7m new cases in 2008 to 14.1m in 2012, when there were 8.2m deaths. By 2032, it is expected to hit almost 25m a year – a 70% increase.The biggest burden will be in low- and middle-income countries, where the population is increasing and living longer. They are hit by two types of cancers – first, those triggered by infections, such as cervical cancers, which are still very prevalent in poorer countries that do not have screening, let alone the HPV vaccine.Second, there are increasingly cancers associa...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: The Guardian Obesity News Health Smoking Medical research Society Cancer UK news Alcohol Science Source Type: news