New Handbook of Cancer Prevention

Feb 12 2008

A new publication designed to help individuals, doctors and governments reduce the global burden of cancer has been announced by Europe's leading society for medical oncologists.

The ESMO Handbook of Cancer Prevention, from the European Society for Medical Oncology, contains state-of-the-art, practical guidance on reducing cancer risk, screening for tumors and preventing their spread.

"Every year, more than 10 million people around the world develop cancer," says Professor David Kerr, ESMO President-Elect. "The reality is that many of those cases could be prevented--whether by giving up smoking, changing diet, avoiding infectious diseases or by national screening programs."

In order to increase awareness, ESMO's handbook of 22 chapters brings together vital information on preventing a range of cancers, including those that affect the lungs, cervix, breast, prostate and colon. Chapters devoted to tobacco, alcohol, nutrition, workplace risks and hereditary cancer provide recommendations on the best ways to reduce cancer risk.

"ESMO believes that time has come for cancer prevention to be given the highest possible priority, and we hope this handbook will serve as a practical tool in that effort," says Professor Hans-Joerg Senn, Chair of the ESMO Cancer Prevention Working Group.

"In the near future medical oncologists will play a greater role in different aspects of cancer prevention, especially in chemo- and bio-prevention of important tumors such as breast cancer," Prof. Senn adds. "And as new technologies such as anticancer vaccines become available, that role will become increasingly important."
The handbook is part of a wider commitment from ESMO to promote the importance of cancer prevention.

This week, ESMO Past-President Professor Hakan Mellstedt will give an invited presentation at an event in Brussels organized by the group 'Members of the European Parliament Against Cancer' (MAC) in collaboration with The Parliament Magazine.

"ESMO is extremely pleased to support MEPs Against Cancer in their campaign for improved cancer screening in Europe," said Professor Mellstedt. "It is clear to us that by failing to make it a priority, EU Member States are currently missing important opportunities to reduce the burden of cancer among their citizens."