Washington, DC /eNewsChannels/ — World Cancer Day has been commemorated globally on February 4 since the 2000 World Summit Against Cancer. The United States government supports international efforts to raise cancer awareness and encourages continued endeavors to prevent, treat, and cure cancer. The U.S. also applauds the many governmental and private organizations that work tirelessly to develop and deliver safe and effective cancer diagnostics, therapies and prevention strategies for all patients–especially minorities and medically underserved populations.
The United States is a leader in the global effort to conquer cancer. The U.S. Department of State has several international projects underway that are focused on the prevention of specific cancers, notably breast and other women’s cancers. The National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health leads the domestic U.S. National Cancer Program while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coordinates efforts in cancer screening and control, two agencies that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) oversees.
Both agencies are actively engaged in a range of cooperative cancer research, training, epidemiological and clinical programs in countries around the world.
Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. The World Health Organization estimates that 84 million people will die from cancer between 2005 and 2015. Nearly 70 percent of all new cases are expected to occur in low and middle-income countries, where the resources available for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer are often limited or nonexistent.
For more information on cancer programs led by the National Cancer Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, visit their websites at: http://www.cancer.gov/ and http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/ .
