Tackling the cancer epidemic - Editorial

The Lancet Oncology

Editorial

Tackling the cancer epidemic

The Lancet Oncology

Cancer is the primary cause of death in many countries, now exceeding heart disease. In lower income countries, incidence is rising fast, creating unprecedented challenges for health systems, many of which were designed in an era that did not foresee, were simply incapable of pre-empting, or knowingly ignored the future. For lower-to-middle income countries, these challenges are multiplied by the double burden of disease—the long-running battle against infection complicated by the rising burden of chronic diseases.

Advances in care are allowing patients to live longer, better quality lives. Survival has improved substantially as knowledge of the biology and aetiology of cancer has increased, offering the promise of precision oncology. However, these remarkable achievements come at a price—the cost of care is outpacing national budgets, the numbers of cancer patients and survivors are putting greater pressures on health-care systems, and increasing numbers of vulnerable patients from less traditional demographics, such as children and younger adults, require different clinical solutions that have yet to be fully conceived.

This month, The Lancet Oncology launches a campaign focused on tackling the cancer epidemic at a systems level. This campaign will provide a comprehensive assessment of the necessary changes in patient services and outcomes. We will document, via monthly updates, the evolution of four Commissions intended for publication later this year that aim to define the scale of the challenge, the underlying drivers, and the improvements needed to cancer-care systems. These special reports will cover global access to radiotherapy, surgical resource availability and its fundamental role in cancer treatment, the intersection of primary care in a comprehensive cancer service fit for the 21st century, and the ongoing oncology requirements in the low-to-middle income countries of Latin America. When published, we hope these Commissions will offer practical advice and specific recommendations to help overcome this tremendous health-care challenge.