ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED:
7 March 2022
Together with the Swedish Pavilion, we are honoured to host the Redefining Cancer Care: Accelerating Change Together Summit taking place Friday 11 March 2022 at Expo 2020 Dubai.
We are at an extraordinary moment in the journey to revolutionise cancer care. Scientific advances in diagnostics, treatments and technologies are being made at an unprecedented pace. However, cancer remains a leading cause of death globally; in 2020, there were over 19 million cases worldwide and almost 10 million deaths from the disease.1,2 The burden of the disease continues to be felt more acutely in less developed countries, where national incidence rates are projected to rise by 95% by 2040.2
Now, more than ever, we must advocate for earlier detection and diagnosis, and better treatment and care for people living with cancer, to create a sustainable and resilient future for healthcare systems and cancer services. Worldwide, it is estimated there will be 28.4 million new cases of cancer each year by 2040.3 We must act now, together, to work towards driving change in oncology.”
The Summit provides a unique opportunity to unite global thought leaders, policymakers, medical societies, patient groups, health-care practitioners and the media to challenge traditional thinking and discuss the future direction of cancer care.
Let us take you on a journey as we discover what the future holds, as we delve into the power of science, research and development and uncover the oncology revolution.
Oncology Narrative:
The Summit will see experts explore the next frontier of curing cancer, and what changes are required to make this future vision a possibility.
I am delighted to join AstraZeneca and the global cancer community at this timely event. While there are still major challenges to bringing more patients closer to cure – including equity in access to quality cancer care and significant barriers to early diagnosis, there are also huge opportunities – as our improved understanding of cancer unlocks new ways to care for and treat patients. There is no doubt that collaboration is crucial to making sure these new discoveries can change the cancer treatment and care pathway and transform the lives of patients. I am excited to be involved in this mission, inspiring the next wave of innovation in oncology.
The Summit also marked the launch of Accelerating Change Together (ACT) for Cancer Care, a bold new coalition which seeks to drive equitable access to innovative treatments and screening programmes to detect cancer earlier. We also witnessed the official signing of our coalition partner G42 Healthcare, who will join us advocating for innovative and sustainable solutions around the world so that people living with cancer can receive the best care available. Dr Cary Adams from the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is also supporting ACT for Cancer Care in an advisory role, and we look forward to expanding to coalition to those who share the same ambition to transform the way cancer is diagnosed and treated.
The speed and agility of the cancer community’s response to the pandemic makes me optimistic for the future of cancer care. Through partnerships and innovation, we can stop one health crisis from fuelling another and improve outcomes for people living with cancer, no matter who they are or where they live. ACT for Cancer Care can help make this ambition a reality. By working with health system change makers, research pioneers and health innovators, the coalition will advocate for expanded access to screening programmes and help to recognise and remove barriers to innovative medicines around the world.
