IARC Director speaks about the current and future burden of cancer at the World Oncology Forum

Dr Elisabete Weiderpass, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), will deliver a lecture titled “Current situation and changes in the epidemiology of cancer worldwide” to a select group of clinicians, researchers, advocates, politicians, and journalists during the opening session of the World Oncology Forum, which takes place on 28–30 September in Ascona, Switzerland.

Dr Weiderpass will present IARC, the unique advantages conferred by IARC’s relationship with the World Health Organization, and the ever-increasing importance of cancer as a leading cause of premature death worldwide, including estimates of the global cancer burden and projections for 2040, cancer inequalities, and key opportunities for cancer prevention.

This meeting marks 10 years since the first World Oncology Forum, which resulted in the publication of the “Stop cancer now!” appeal for global action. The European School of Oncology has organized the event with the theme of “Global fight against cancer: past, present, future” to discuss what has changed and whether progress has been made since the publication of the appeal in 2013.