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Josephine Chinele, CNS Correspondent, Malawi For many February is a month of love, as Valentine’s Day is celebrated. But 27 year old Elisa, based in Lilongwe, remembers this month because of her father who died of cancer. “Of course, World Cancer Day is commemorated on 4th of February every year. But I feel that the disease should be remembered all the time and efforts to control it intensified and renewed every year,” she says. “My father was a chain smoker. He had a prolonged cough for more than 2 years,” narrates Elisa. Elisa’s father died of lung cancer, which was diagnosed at an advanced stage. She says her father wasted much of his illness time believing that he had been bewitched. “He was a successful tobacco farmer in our village, and therefore thought that people were jealous of him. He only accepted to go to the hospital when he became very weak.” Elisa’s father is one of the more than 20% of all people around the world who have died of cancer due to smoking. Statistics point...

Alice Sagwidza-Tembe, CNS Correspondent, Swaziland On September 25th 2015, countries adopted a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all, as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. For the goals to be reached, everyone needs to do their part: governments, the private sector, civil society and ordinary people. Of these 17 goals, the 3rd goal is dedicated to Good Health and Well-being. One of its targets envisages to reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—like cancer—by 2030. It has been more than 1 year since then, but with 8.8 million cancer related deaths in 2015, there does not seem to be any major change towards reduction and prevention of cancers. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about one third of cancer cases are preventable.  Anne Jones , Senior Tobacco Control Expert with t...

Clarity Sibanda, CNS Correspondent, Zimbabwe The International Cancer Day 2017 (4th February) comes at a time when the death rate due to the disease is increasing, notwithstanding the research going on to diagnose and cure more people. Several progressive governments are calling for nicotine tar lovers to quit smoking, which accounts for more than 20% of all cancer deaths worldwide. Tobacco use increases the risk of at least 14 types of cancers: lung, larynx, oesophagus, mouth, bladder, stomach, bowel among others. Approximately 47% of cancer cases and 55% of cancer deaths occur in low and middle-income countries and, according to health experts, by 2030 these countries are expected to bear the brunt of an estimated 21.4 million new cancer cases per year, accounting for 60-70% of the global cancer burden. Research has found that tobacco use is the single biggest avoidable cause of cancer globally. Although nicotine is addictive, assistance with cessation is vital for many who want to q...

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India (First published in theIndiasaga.com ) Latest cancer data released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) says that 8.8 million people died from cancer in 2015, with about 70% of deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries. One thing common in these deaths is that the disease was diagnosed too late, making the chances of survival slim. Even in countries with optimal health systems and services, many cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, when they are harder to treat successfully. This year on World Cancer Day – observed every year on February 4, the WHO released new guidelines, which aim to improve the chances of survival for people   living with cancer by ensuring that health services can focus on diagnosing and treating the disease early enough. “Diagnosing cancer in late stages, and the inability to provide treatment, condemns many people to unnecessary suffering and early death,” says Dr Etienne Krug , Director of WH...

Francis Okoye, CNS Correspondent, Nigeria Taking place under the slogan ‘We can. I can’, World Cancer Day 2017 explores how we can all work together—collectively and as individuals— to reduce the global burden of cancer. Just as cancer affects everyone in different ways, all people have the power to take action to reduce the devastating impact that cancer has on individuals, families, communities and the country as a whole. In a webinar organized by Citizen News Service, lung cancer expert Dr Navneet Sigh , senior tobacco control expert with the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union) Anne Jones , and cancer survivor Nita Mullick mapped out steps towards reducing preventable cancer deaths, in keeping with the sustainable development goals. Dr Singh revealed that 30% of all cancer cases are of lung cancer, and it is most common in men. It has a high fatality rate as 5 out of 6 patients die in developing countries. Smoking is a very high and yet avoidable risk factor...

In a webinar (recording , podcast ) experts raised key concerns around cancer deaths not declining fast enough in order to keep the governments' commitments of reducing cancer deaths (and of other non-communicable diseases or NCDs) by one-third by 2030. Towards the end of March 2017, Asia Pacific governments will meet in Thailand at Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development and later in July 2017 review progress made on some of these Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which includes the SDG-3 (one of the targets of which is to reduce NCD deaths by 1/3rd). Fighting cancer-related stigma is critical Lucknow-based senior educationist and breast cancer survivor Nita Mullick insisted that early and accurate diagnosis of cancer is as important as access to affordable standard anti-cancer treatment without delay. Raising awareness among women (and also among men and transgender) about breast cancer symptoms, regular self-examination and when and where to go for screening, etc, w...

[ Listen or download the audio podcast ] This is a recording of the webinar in lead up to 2017 World Cancer Day ( watch its recording ). Panel of experts included: Anne Jones OAM, senior tobacco control expert with the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union); former CEO of ASH Australia; and Medal of the order of Australia (OAM) awardee    Dr Navneet Singh , Lung cancer expert; Associate Professor, Pulmonary Medicine Department, PGIMER; Secretary of Indian Society for Study of Lung Cancer;  Nita Mullick , cancer survivor and senior educationist   Moderators: Ashok Ramsarup , award-winning senior journalist from Durban, South Africa and former Senior Producer at SABC; and  Shobha Shukla , CNS Managing Editor   [ Listen or download the audio podcast ]

Catherine Mwauyakufa, CNS Correspondent, Zimbabwe (First published in Manica Post ) Michelle Wadzanayi Maiseni is currently awaiting her O-Level test results, and I bet she will do well. 5 years ago she had obtained 5 units in Grade 7, and that too after having spent the whole year in hospital. This interview with Michelle bears testimony to her battle against cancer, in which she emerged victorious and became the driver of her destiny by sheer will power. A tough road it was, but being determined and focused to beat cancer, she conquered this threat that many are facing today to overcome cancer. In her words-“you do not have to just survive cancer, but you have to beat it and be a conqueror”. Here the story of her victory in her own words: I am the author of my story— the artist of my masterpiece. 5 years ago, my life hung by a thin thread. It seemed as if every new day was an added opportunity for cancer to push me towards the brink of death. It started off as minor pain in my left ...

[ Listen or download this audio podcast ] World Cancer Day 2017 is on 4th February 2017. CNS presents an exclusive and very interesting panel discussion moderated by CNS Managing Editor, Shobha Shukla. Two noted experts on the panel: Dr Navneet Singh from Department of Pulmonary Medicine, PGIMER (Secretary of Indian Society for the Study of Lung Cancer); and Dr Marzi Mehta , senior surgical oncologist from Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai [ Listen or download this audio podcast ].

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS Dr Navneet Singh, PGIMER (L), Shobha Shukla, CNS (C) and Dr Marzi Mehta, surgical oncologist (R) [ Watch this video ] [ Listen or download audio podcast ] Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. In 2012, there were an estimated 1.8 million new lung cancer cases (13% of all cancers diagnosed), and 1.59 million deaths (19.4% of the total cancer deaths). According to the latest cancer registry data released by the Indian Council of Medical Research , 0.114 million new lung cancer cases (83,000 in males and 31,000 in females) are estimated during 2016 in India. Watch this video Listen or download audio podcast Over 20% cancer-deaths preventable Anne Jones , senior tobacco control expert with the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union); former CEO of ASH Australia; and Medal of the order of Australia (OAM) awardee; said that over 20% of all cancer deaths are caused by tobacco use. Tobacco use not only dangerously ele...

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India (First published in theindiasaga.com ) The tobacco industry and its products, which have a deadly impact on people’s lives, cost the world’s economies more than US$ 1 trillion annually in healthcare expenditures and lost productivity, according to findings published in ‘The Economies of Tobacco and Tobacco Control.’ Around 6 million people die annually as a result of tobacco use, with most of them living in developing countries. Policies to control tobacco use, including tobacco tax and price increases, can generate significant government revenues for health and development work, according to this new landmark global report from WHO and the National Cancer Institute of the United States of America . Such measures can also greatly reduce tobacco use and protect people’s health from the world’s leading killers, such as cancers and heart disease. The almost 700-page monograph examines existing evidence on two broad areas of the economics of tobacco ...

[ Click here to see webinar recording ] [ Listen or Download audio podcast ] In lead up to 2017 World Cancer Day this webinar aims to review if we are on track in reducing cancer deaths by one-third by 2030 (as well as other commitments made in SDGs in this regard). Click here to see webinar recording   Listen or Download audio podcast Date: Tuesday, 31st January 2017 Time: 1pm - 2pm Geneva time The panel of experts include: [ Presentation ] [ Watch 1:15 - 13:30 of webinar recording ] Anne Jones , senior tobacco control expert with the International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (The Union) ; former CEO of ASH Australia; and Medal of the order of Australia (OAM) awardee   [ Watch 25:15 - 30:00 of webinar recording ] Nita Mullick , cancer survivor and senior educationist [ Watch 13:40 - 25:10 of webinar recording ] Dr Navneet Singh , Lung cancer expert; Associate Professor, Pulmonary Medicine Department, PGIMER; Secretary of Indian Society for Study of Lung Cancer; Publicat...

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS Dr Navneet Singh, PGIMER (L), Shobha Shukla, CNS (C) and Dr Marzi Mehta, surgical oncologist (R) Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. In 2012, there were an estimated 1.8 million new lung cancer cases (13% of all cancers diagnosed), and 1.59 million deaths (19.4% of the total cancer deaths). According to the latest cancer registry data released by the Indian Council of Medical Research , 0.114 million new lung cancer cases (83,000 in males and 31,000 in females) are estimated during 2016 in India. Diagnostic challenges Dr Navneet Singh, Pulmonologist, PGIMER While early diagnosis of lung cancer helps save lives, it is beset with many challenges. TB and lung cancer have overlapping symptoms and, to some extent, similar radiological findings. So people with lung cancer, especially those living in areas far away from good healthcare facilities, often get misdiagnosed and are treated for TB. They are referred to tertiary care centres on...

[ Listen or download this podcast here ] This is the audio recording of a webinar in lead up to World Cancer Day 2017, on breast cancer related issues. Panel of experts included: Priya Kanayson, Advocacy Officer, NCD Alliance; Dr Pooja Ramakant, Associate Professor, Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, King George's Medical University (KGMU); Prof Anand Mishra, Head of the Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, KGMU; and Bret Miller, 6 years breast-cancer-survivor and founder of Male Breast Cancer Coalition. [ Listen or download this podcast here ]

[Watch recording or listen to podcast ] Breast cancer is the most common, killer cancer in women . ' Men have breasts too' and less than 1% of breast cancer occur in men . If urgent measures are not taken, in next decade: 19.7 million cases of breast cancer will occur and 5.8 million women will die. But governments have promised to deliver on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, one of which is to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like breast cancer by one-third. Are we on track to reduce these preventable deaths? Are we diagnosing breast cancer early enough to have better treatment outcome and 5-year survival? Are we optimally engaging survivors to help support those undergoing breast cancer treatment? What more needs to happen so that governments deliver on SDGs by 2030 (or earlier!)? Let us listen to experts from the NCD Alliance , Endocrine and Breast Cancer Surgery Department of King George's Medical University (KGMU) and a cancer surviv...

Henry Neondo, CNS Correspondent, Kenya A group of international cancer organizations today launched a new initiative to encourage governments to increase taxes on tobacco. Tobacco causes 20 percent of all cancer deaths and more than 4,000 people die from tobacco-related cancer each day. The initiative aims to build a global coalition of cancer organizations, all working individually and collectively to campaign for high tobacco taxes that are proven to reduce tobacco use. Emphasizing the global, collective nature of the coalition, cancer organizations are being invited to sign up and cast their vote to name the campaign at NameTheFuture.org. This new initiative aims to increase understanding within the global cancer community of the power of tobacco taxation as an effective measure for reducing tobacco use and preventing cancer and other chronic disease. In addition, high tobacco taxes have the potential to generate millions annually in sustainable government revenue that can be rein...