Cancer Control

Diagnosis and

Treatment

Knowledge into Action

Cancer Control

WHO Guide for Effective Programmes

Diagnosis and

Treatment

Knowledge into Action

Cancer Control

WHO Guide for Effective Programmes

WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

Diagnosis and Treatment.

(Cancer control : knowledge into action : WHO guide for effective programmes ; module 4.)

1. Neoplasms – diagnosis. 2. Neoplasms – therapy. 3. Early detection. 4. National health programs. 5. Guidelines. I.World Health Organization. II.Series.

ISBN 978 92 4 154740 6 (NLM classification: QZ 241)

© World Health Organization 2008

All rights reserved. Publications of the World Health Organization can be obtained from WHO Press, World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland

(tel.: +41 22 791 3264; fax: +41 22 791 4857; e-mail: bookorders@who.int). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications – whether for sale or

for noncommercial distribution – should be addressed to WHO Press, at the above address (fax: +41 22 791 4806; e-mail: permissions@who.int).

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World

Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.

The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization

in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial

capital letters.

All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is

being distributed without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no

event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use.

The Cancer Control – Diagnosis and Treatment module was produced under the direction of Catherine Le Galès-Camus (Former Assistant Director-General, Noncommunicable

Diseases and Mental Health), Serge Resnikoff (Coordinator, Chronic Diseases Prevention and Management) and Cecilia Sepúlveda (Chronic Diseases Prevention and

Management, coordinator of the overall series of modules).

Twalib Ngoma was the coordinator for this module and Cecilia Sepúlveda provided extensive editorial input.

Editorial support was provided by Anthony Miller (scientific editor), Inés Salas (technical adviser) and Angela Haden (technical writer and editor). Proofreading was done

by Ann Morgan.

The production of the module was coordinated by Maria Villanueva and Neeta Kumar.

Core contributions for the module were received from the following experts:

Baffour Awuah, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana

Yasmin Bhurgri, Karachi Cancer Registry and Aga Khan University Karachi, Pakistan

Ian Magrath, International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research, Belgium

Luiz Figueiredo Mathias, National Cancer Institute, Brazil

M. Krishnan Nair, Regional Cancer Centre, India

Twalib A. Ngoma, Ocean Road Cancer Institute, United Republic of Tanzania

Eduardo Rosenblatt, International Atomic Energy Agency, Austria

The above contributors have signed a declaration indicating they have no conflicts of interest.

Valuable input, help and advice were received from a number of people in WHO headquarters throughout the production of the module: Caroline Allsopp, David Bramley,

Raphaël Crettaz and Maryvonne Grisetti.

Cancer experts worldwide, as well as technical staff in WHO headquarters and in WHO regional and country offices, also provided valuable input by making contributions

and reviewing the module, and are listed in the Acknowledgements.

Design and layout: L’IV Com Sàrl, Morges, Switzerland, based on a style developed by Reda Sadki, Paris, France.

Printed in Switzerland

More information about this publication can be obtained from:

Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion

World Health Organization

CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland

The production of this publication was made possible through the generous financial support of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA,

and the National Cancer Institute (INCa), France. We would also like to thank the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the National

Cancer Center (NCC) of the Republic of Korea, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the International Union Against Cancer

(UICC) for their financial support.

Cancer is a leading cause of death globally. The World Health Organization

estimates that 7.6 million people died of cancer in 2005 and 84 million people

will die in the next 10 years if action is not taken. More than 70% of all cancer

deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where resources available for

prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer are limited or nonexistent.

But because of the wealth of available knowledge, all countries can, at some

useful level, implement the four basic components of cancer control – prevention,

early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and palliative care – and thus avoid

and cure many cancers, as well as palliating the suffering.

Cancer control: knowledge into action, WHO guide for effective programmes is

a series of six modules that provides practical advice for programme managers

and policy-makers on how to advocate, plan and implement effective cancer

control programmes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Cancer is to a large extent avoidable. Many cancers

can be prevented. Others can be detected early in their

development, treated and cured. Even with late stage

cancer, the pain can be reduced, the progression of the

cancer slowed, and patients and their families helped

to cope.

iii

Cancer Control Series

Introduction to the

Series overview

6Prevention

Knowledge into Action

Cancer Control

WHO Guide for

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