Advocacy in cancer and chronic conditions-challenges and opportunities

Abstract

The WHO World Cancer Report 2014 identified cancer as the leading global cause of death. The report was published at a time when multiple other reports showed an aggregate increase in the burden of prevalent chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and kidney disease. Whichever way the data are cut, significantly greater numbers of people are living with, and dying from, these conditions-many with multiple morbidities. The reasons include increased life expectancy and lifestyle risk factors, and a relative reduction in the infectious disease burden. While increased life expectancy is welcome, governments worldwide must develop evidence-based responses to the associated gr..