Experts call for more investment in cancer prevention at WISH

Experts have made a call for greater investment in cancer research and treatment at World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) 2024 – warning that, without it, the world’s health systems face severe strain.

The discussion – which focused on the societal and economic burden of breast and cervical cancers and outlined how an increasingly ageing society, coupled with poor lifestyle choices, is leading to more cancer deaths – was part of the opening day of the two-day event hosted by WISH, which concludes Thursday.

In the session, titled ‘The Case for Investing in Women’s Cancer Care’, Dr Lamia Mahmoud, the World Health Organization’s regional advisor, Non-communicable Disease Prevention, highlighted the cancer situation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, saying: “If you look at the mortality-to-incidence ratio, it tells us that more women are dying in our region than in other regions in the world. This means we have to invest in prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.”

Mahmoud explained that, according to recently published research, the economic burden of breast and cervical cancer stood at $15bn in 2020 and is expected to rise to $379bn by 2040. These figures include healthcare costs, societal costs, and the value lost to society through women’s premature deaths.

HE Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Jabor al-Thani, founder and chairman, Qatar Cancer Society, explained there is a significant stigma surrounding these diseases, making people reluctant to discuss them.

“People don’t think they might be susceptible to breast or cervical cancer,” he said. “But nobody is shielded. We have changed the way we have approached people, the way we talk to people. And while there has been tremendous progress over the last few decades, there is still much to be done.”

Dr Jennifer Huang Bouey, chair of the Department of Global Health, Georgetown University, told the discussion: “People are living longer. An increasingly ageing society, the lifestyle we’re adopting everywhere – which relates to the type of diet and also lack of activity – are leading to more cancer deaths.

“I cannot emphasise more the need for investment in treating cancer, because otherwise it will break all health systems globally.”

Though clinical trials and new developments will increase the effectiveness of treatment, Dr Bouey pointed out that many cost-effective analyses have shown that primary prevention – targeting the healthy population to reduce the risks, like lifestyle changes and increasing cancer awareness – is the most cost effective.

“And then there is secondary prevention, which involves screening and early detection, using portable technology so that women in remote areas can get early detection and early treatment.”

The Summit has brought together more than 200 experts in health and around 3,000 delegates to discuss evidence-based ideas and practices in healthcare innovation with the aim of addressing the world’s most urgent global health challenges.