To fight the looming cancer crisis in Asia, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is assembling many of the world´s leading cancer experts in Bangkok on 4-6 December. Together with leading public figures, they will assess the growing cancer burden in Asia and focus on building effective cancer control programmes at the national and regional levels. Using funds awarded for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize, the IAEA is sponsoring the intensive workshops. Cancer is the second most common cause of death worldwide after cardiovascular disease. The World Health Organisation (WHO) warns that cancer will soon reach epidemic proportions, causing up to 10 million deaths a year by 2015. The majority of new cancer cases are now in low- and middle-income countries. Faced with the multiple health challenges posed by AIDS/HIV, malaria and tuberculosis (TB), many poor countries simply do not have the resources to fight cancer. The WHO estimates that 7.6 million people died of cancer in 2005. New cancer cases in Southeast Asia are projected to rise from 1.3 million to 2.1 million between 2002 and 2020 - a dramatic 60 percent jump. New cases in the Western Pacific are expected to rise to nearly 5 million by 2020, an increase of more than 50 percent. "Across much of Asia, there is almost no cancer prevention or public education," explains Mr. Massoud Samiei, the Head of IAEA´s Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT). "There is almost no screening for breast and cervical cancer in women even though, if detected early, both can be successfully treated. And radiotherapy, which is used effectively on more than 50% of cancer patients in high-income countries, is simply unavailable to millions of cancer sufferers in Asia." PACT was established in 2004 to help developing nations combat the growing cancer problem. Building on the IAEA´s 30 years of expertise in promoting radiotherapy, PACT´s goal is to help get more cancer treatment facilities up and running, along with the trained personnel to who can operate them in the world´s developing regions. PACT´s initial funding comes from the IAEA and several bilateral donors. The IAEA´s share of 2005 Nobel Peace Prize award is being devoted to training personnel from developing countries in the fight against cancer and undernutrition. Current estimates suggest that several billion US$ are needed if the cancer crisis in low and middle income nations is to be contained effectively. The meeting opens at 09.15 on Monday, 4 December, in the Adhidhayadhorn Meeting Room, 7th Floor, Symindra Building, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok. All sessions are open to journalists. A Press Conference with Opening Ceremony speakers will take place in the Meeting Room from 10.45 to 11.30. Please see the new PACT brochure [pdf].
