In high-income settings, we all share a one-in-two lifetime risk of being diagnosed with cancer and needing cancer care. Cancer incidence is also rising in low- and middle-income countries. In East Africa, for example, one in six people will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. This means that primary health care providers across Africa are more likely to need to respond to symptoms of cancer than a positive HIV test. Not only is cancer one of the world’s most pressing health concerns, it is estimated to cost world economies $1.16 trillion annually, underscoring the need to act now.

Inclusion of cancer services in universal health coverage plans is critical. At the international level, we are challenged to respond to the global disparities in cancer-related mortality. The cancer resolution highlights the need to consider vulnerable populations. Here, children and young adults with cancer are a compelling example of the global divide in availability and access to life-saving services. In high-income countries with strong health systems, significant advances in diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care means that 80 percent of children diagnosed with cancer can expect in excess of five-year survival, the point at which we speak of cure.

This is a remarkable success given that a few decades ago, five-year survival rates were around 30 percent. However, five-year survival rates can fall to as low as 10 percent in low-income settings with poor access to health services.

Read the source article at Devex International Development