Cancer most preventable

Press, 13 October 1982, Page 5

Cancer most preventable

Cancer is the most preventable of chronic, diseases, the thirteenth International Cancer Congress has been told in Seattle. An American doctor told the congress that cancer was also .the most common and curable chronic disease. He recommended that national cancer programmes emphasise the positive approach to cancer treatment, because with the steady improvement in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, the cure rate had risen to 45 per cent . Reports from the congress have been relayed from Seattle to New Zealand by the president of, the Cancer Society of New Zealand, Dr D. W.'Urquhart. He is one of 8000 delegates from- 95 countries attending the congress.

Each year 8 million people in the world develop cancer. At least 6.7 million people die of cancer each year. Dr Urquhart noted that reputable publications on cancer treatment devoted very little space to the relief of pain in cancer patients, even though more than 60 per cent of cancer patients in the terminal stages suffered pain. “There is a great need for education of the medical profession and the nursing staff in general wards on the control of pain in chronic cancer patients. Pain can be controlled, but it needs a rethinking of methods.” Dr Urquhart cited this as one aspect on which the Cancer Society of New Zealand could spend funds through education programmes. 1