WHO: Cancers Increasing But Not a 'Death Sentence'
2020-02-07
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1The World Health Organization reports cancer is on the increase around the world.
2But it says preventive measures can save the lives of millions of cancer sufferers over the next 10 years.
3The report was released in time for World Cancer Day (February 4).
4Since 2010, nearly every country in the world has seen an increase in the number of cancer patients.
5The World Health Organization, WHO, reports one in six people will develop cancer in their lifetime.
6At least 10 million people will die from the disease every year.
7If the current trend continues, WHO warns, new cancer cases will rise by 60 percent by the year 2040.
8In low- and middle-income countries, they will rise by more than 80 percent.
9Andre Ilbawi is WHO's technical officer in cancer control.
10He says more people are dying from cancer in poorer countries because they lack the services and cancer control measures that richer countries have.
11Ilbawi said that controlling the disease does not have to cost a lot.
12The WHO report, he explained, shows that by investing in cancer services, governments can save 7 million lives by 2030.
13"And that is at the cost of $2.70 per person in low-income countries and $8.15 per person in upper middle-income countries. This is feasible," Ilbawi said.
14WHO says cancer does not have to be a death sentence. Prevention works.
15Elisabete Weiderpass is the director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
16She says there have been great improvements in research on cancer prevention and treatment.
17These measures are successfully keeping many people alive who otherwise would have died.
18Weiderpass said that preventive policies can work in powerful ways to reduce not only cancer numbers and death rates, but also the social and economic inequality in cancer cases.
19An example of such a policy, she said, is one that reduces workers' contact with cancer-causing materials.
20Other examples are measures to control tobacco use, vaccination against cancer-causing infectious agents and testing for early stages of cancer.
21In its report, WHO describes a series of measures proven to help in preventing new cancer cases.
22For example, it notes that tobacco-related diseases are responsible for 25 percent of cancer deaths.
23Deciding not to smoke, it says, can save billions of dollars and millions of lives.
24WHO adds that a vaccine against hepatitis B can prevent liver cancer.
25It notes another vaccine against HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection, can nearly eliminate cervical cancer.
26I'm Anne Ball.
1The World Health Organization reports cancer is on the increase around the world. But it says preventive measures can save the lives of millions of cancer sufferers over the next 10 years. 2The report was released in time for World Cancer Day (February 4). 3Since 2010, nearly every country in the world has seen an increase in the number of cancer patients. The World Health Organization, WHO, reports one in six people will develop cancer in their lifetime. At least 10 million people will die from the disease every year. 4If the current trend continues, WHO warns, new cancer cases will rise by 60 percent by the year 2040. In low- and middle-income countries, they will rise by more than 80 percent. 5Andre Ilbawi is WHO's technical officer in cancer control. He says more people are dying from cancer in poorer countries because they lack the services and cancer control measures that richer countries have. 6Ilbawi said that controlling the disease does not have to cost a lot. The WHO report, he explained, shows that by investing in cancer services, governments can save 7 million lives by 2030. "And that is at the cost of $2.70 per person in low-income countries and $8.15 per person in upper middle-income countries. This is feasible," Ilbawi said. 7WHO says cancer does not have to be a death sentence. Prevention works. 8Elisabete Weiderpass is the director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. She says there have been great improvements in research on cancer prevention and treatment. These measures are successfully keeping many people alive who otherwise would have died. 9Weiderpass said that preventive policies can work in powerful ways to reduce not only cancer numbers and death rates, but also the social and economic inequality in cancer cases. 10An example of such a policy, she said, is one that reduces workers' contact with cancer-causing materials. Other examples are measures to control tobacco use, vaccination against cancer-causing infectious agents and testing for early stages of cancer. 11In its report, WHO describes a series of measures proven to help in preventing new cancer cases. For example, it notes that tobacco-related diseases are responsible for 25 percent of cancer deaths. Deciding not to smoke, it says, can save billions of dollars and millions of lives. 12WHO adds that a vaccine against hepatitis B can prevent liver cancer. It notes another vaccine against HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection, can nearly eliminate cervical cancer. 13I'm Anne Ball. 14Lisa Schlein wrote this story for VOA News. Anne Ball adapted the story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 15We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. 16_____________________________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18trend - n. a general direction of change; a way of behaving that is developing and becoming more common 19income - n. earnings or profits 20feasible - adj. possible to do 21death sentence - n. phrase. something, like a disease, that is sure to kill you 22otherwise - adv. in a different way 23eliminate - v. to remove or get rid of something