Lifestyle -- Not Drugs -- May Check World Cancer

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched global Cancer control strategies that can significantly reduce the incidences, morbidity and morality from the disease.

These strategies were discussed at an international conference, "Cancer Strategies for the New Millenium", held at the Royal College of Physicians in London.

Among the most important are changes in diet and lifestyle. In addition, WHO says that encouraging food manufacturers to decrease fat and increase fiber content in their products is a cheap but effective intervention that can help prevent both cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Deaths from cancer, which in 1997 alone claimed more than 6 million lives, or 12% of all deaths worldwide, are on the rise. The global incidence of cancer -- the total number of new cancer cases annually -- is also soaring.

By 2020, WHO estimates that there will be some 20 million new cancer patients in the world each year. More than 70% of these patients will live in developing countries.

"New WHO strategies for cancer control make it quite feasible to reduce the global incidence of cancer by 5 million per year by 2020, as well as to reduce its mortality by almost half," said Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, director-general of WHO, in her written message to more than 100 participants, who came to London from 26 countries.

At the core of these strategies id the so-called "cancer priority ladder" which provides internationally accepted priorities for developing effective national control programs.

Among the "key" steps are tobacco control and a healthy eating program.  WHO also included medical components such as effective pain control, nurse education, and research in the strategies.

The emphasis on proper diet was reinforced by another research study, published in the British Medical Journal.

According to the researchers, diet is one of the most important lifestyle factors and may account for up to 80% of cancers of the bowel, breast and prostate.

The authors highlighted red and processed meats and alcohol as the highest risk foods and state that a diet rich in vegetables and fruit as being the most protective.

Source: "Cancer toll can be reduced dramatically", WHO, 10/16/1998, British Medical Journal, 12/12/1998