Combating Cancer Globally: Balancing Prevention and Treatment Through Integrated Approaches

Strategic Insights -

A new approach to combat the growing global burden of cancer is being explored by researchers, leveraging the human genome project to develop molecular-targeted treatments. The world is facing an increasing number of new cancer cases, predominantly in developing countries, which demands a more comprehensive and integrated approach to cancer control. Researchers at the University of Toronto are focusing on harnessing mechanistic insights from basic science to better understand cancer causes and prevention, thereby underpinning a complementary public health approach.

Key Takeaways:

  • Cancer research is drawing on the human genome project to develop new molecular-targeted treatments, but this response is insufficient to address the growing global burden of cancer.
  • The world is unable to treat its way out of the cancer problem, but basic science can provide mechanistic insights to understand cancer causes and prevention.
  • A new approach to cancer control involves integrating basic science research with population-based epidemiological studies, particularly in large prospective cohorts with associated biobanks.
  • This integrated approach aims to provide an evidence base for cancer prevention through education and policy interventions aimed at risk reduction across a population.
  • Researchers at the University of Toronto are working with an international team of experts to develop this integrated approach.
  • The team acknowledges that developing countries will be disproportionately affected by the projected increase in new cancer cases in the coming decades.
  • The study highlights the importance of understanding cancer causes and prevention through mechanistic insights from basic science.

Statistics:

  • The projected increase in new cancer cases in the coming decades is expected to fall increasingly on developing countries.
  • Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, with the World Health Organization estimating that there were 14 million new cancer cases in 2012.
  • The human genome project has provided a wealth of information on the molecular basis of cancer, which is being leveraged to develop new targeted treatments.
  • Prospective cohorts with associated biobanks are being used to study the molecular and cellular basis of cancer to provide an evidence base for cancer prevention.

Sources:

  • Translational Cancer Research: Balancing Prevention and Treatment to Combat Cancer Globally. Jnci-Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2015;107(1):36-40.
  • Oxford Univ Press Inc, Journals Dept, 2001 Evans Rd, Cary, NC 27513, USA
  • Dalla Lana Sch Public Hlth, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • University of Toronto, Dalla Lana Sch Public Hlth, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • University of Toronto, Dalla Lana Sch Public Hlth, Toronto, ON, Canada, October 2015, C.P. Wild