Why the time is right to tackle breast and cervical cancer in low-resource settings

• Published in: Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2013-09, Vol.91 (9), p.683-690
• Main Authors: DAVIS TSU, Vivien, JERONIMO, Jose, ANDERSON, Benjamin O
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Research; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - mortality; Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control; Breastfeeding & lactation; Cancer; Cervical cancer; Cervix; Cost of Illness; Developing Countries; Diseases; Epidemiology; Family; Fatalities; Female; General aspects; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Health care; Health Policy & Services; Health Resources - supply & distribution; Human papillomavirus; Humans; LDCs; Low income groups; Mammary gland diseases; Mammography; Maternal mortality; Medical sciences; Medical screening; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Morbidity; Mortality; Palliative care; Policy & Practice; Pregnancy; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Reproductive health; Risk; Sex discrimination; Sexually transmitted diseases; STD; Trends; Tumors; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - mortality; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - prevention & control; Women; Womens health; World Health Organization
• ISSN: 0042-9686; 1564-0604
• DOI: 10.2471/BLT.12.116020

The health concerns of women in their mid-adult years - when the prime age of reproduction has passed - have been traditionally given little or no attention by health systems and donors, despite the heavy burden that diseases such as breast and cervical cancer impose on women and their families. The risk of sexually transmitted infections that accompanies sexual relations and the risk of death and morbidity associated with pregnancy have long been recognized and have stimulated major control efforts that are finally yielding positive results. Much less attention has been focused, however, on how experiences in early life can affect women's health in adulthood. Breast and cervical cancers kill more women than any other types of cancer in all parts of the developing world. In most of Asia and Latin America and some African countries, deaths from these two forms of cancer now outnumber pregnancy-related deaths. There are five compelling reasons for focusing on these cancers now to try to reverse these epidemiologic trends: (i) the burden of breast and cervical cancer is large and is growing; (ii) effective screening and treatment are available; (iii) research is generating new knowledge; (iv) there are opportunities for synergy with other health programmes; and (v) noncommunicable diseases are the focus of much current interest.