When it comes to tackling cancer, time is essential. Delayed interventions can drastically impact survival and health outcomes for patients. A large proportion of cancer patients enter the health system at late stages, despite recent technological advances to strengthen cancer prevention and promote early diagnosis and treatment.
By investing in early diagnosis and early-stage treatment for cancer patients, survival rates could improve by more than 17 per cent. However, implementing early interventions for cancer are not without their costs and challenges – there needs to be stronger awareness of first signs of cancers among the public and health providers alike.
Perhaps even more crucially, accessibility, affordability and improved referrals are needed – and opinions on how to achieve this differ. Scientific innovation and the momentum from the COVID-19 pandemic to ‘build back better’ have created an opportunity to evolve cancer care to prioritize early-stage interventions and what patients’ value most – a disease-free future.
To discuss opportunities and challenges in this landscape, Chatham House. in collaboration with Merck, Sharp & Dohme (MSD), are convening a high-level panel event during London Global Cancer Week.
This is the third and final event in the Chatham House High-Level Series on Cancer in partnership with MSD. This event will bring together four expert panellists to share their perspectives on cancer screening and early diagnosis and treatment.
Participants
Chair: Rob Yates, Director, Global Health Programme; Executive Director, Centre for Universal Health
Dr André Ilbawi, Medical Officer, Cancer Control, World Health Organization (WHO)
Christina Sit, Programs Director, Lung Cancer Canada
David Taylor, Professor Emeritus of Pharmaceutical and Public Health Policy, University College
Dr Ruma Bhargava, Project Lead, Fourth Industrial Revolution for Health, India, World Economic Forum, C4IR India
