Confronting a Top Killer: The Cancer Threat

Dec. 10, 2008— -- Cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death worldwide in 2010.

That is a staggering piece of information and one that deserves our full attention. It means that despite the progress we have made here in the United States and other developed countries in decreasing the burden from cancer, the rest of the world is far behind and is suffering the consequences.

Here at our National Home Office in Atlanta, the American Cancer Society is joining with the Lance Armstrong Foundation, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer to highlight the worldwide burden of cancer, and what must be done around the globe to stem this needless tide of despair and death.

In the last 30 years of the 20th century, the global burden of cancer more than doubled. That trend is projected to continue, and by 2030 there could be 27 million newly diagnosed cases of cancer, 17 million deaths each year and 75 million people alive with cancer within five years of diagnosis.

Why are we seeing this explosion in cancer?

One quarter of cancers in developing countries are attributable to infectious diseases, some of which are preventable with currently available vaccines. More importantly, although 12 percent of cancers in developing countries today are related to tobacco, that number is expected to increase significantly as cigarettes spread their scourge around the world. There are many countries that are still in the relatively early stages of their own tobacco pandemics, and have yet to be affected to the degree seen in the United States. The future impact of tobacco on the health of those countries is absolutely frightening.

Another sad tale is that many developing countries are adopting Western lifestyles at a quickening pace. We are exporting our diets, our habits and our fast-food outlets throughout the world. Along with that comes overweight and obesity, and with that an increase in the risk of cancer deaths in both men and women.