Reliable data is one of the most powerful tools against cancer, and at the World Health Summit in Berlin, experts examined how innovations in cancer registries are helping countries close data gaps, strengthen cancer control plans, and improve patient outcomes. Cancer causes nearly one in six deaths, and 70 per cent of those deaths occur in resource-constrained countries. However, globally, only one-third of countries have high-quality population-based cancer registries. In Asia, where over half of global cancer cases and deaths occur, only 13 per cent of the population is covered by registries. Mary-Ann Etiebet, President and CEO of Vital Strategies, a global health organisation that works with local governments and partners in more than 80 countries, said that cancer causes nearly one in six deaths worldwide, claiming 10 million lives each year. “The absence of high-quality cancer registries in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) means current figures likely underestimate the true burden. With population-based cancer registries (PBCRs), countries can plan prevention, strengthen detection, improve care, and evaluate cancer control activities,” Etiebet said. The Cancer Registries Programme of Vital Strategies provides assistance to governments in establishing and strengthening population-based cancer registries. Etiebet referred to Brazil's example and said the country had shown that by investing in proven preventive policies like tobacco taxes, it had reduced cancer deaths by thousands annually. “The lesson is clear—apply these smart policies to today’s emerging threats, from alcohol to sugary drinks, and save lives on a massive scale,” she said while addressing a key session titled Lives in Focus: How Innovation in Cancer Registries is Advancing National Cancer Control Plans and Patient Outcomes. In a conversation with The Indian Express, Etiebet also explained that there is a significant opportunity for public education and awareness across many countries in Southeast Asia. “In countries like India, the focus should be on promoting screening from a family-centric perspective. India already has strong screening programmes and responsive health systems in place. The real opportunity lies in enhancing cancer screening efforts to detect cases early and ensure timely treatment,” she added. Adam Karpati, who leads Vital Strategies’ public health programmes division, said that major global initiatives include RESET Alcohol, which focuses on assisting countries to adopt policies to reduce alcohol-related harms to health and development, and Data for Health, which supports countries in improving civil registration and vital statistics and cancer registry systems and in using data for policymaking. Dr Alarcos Cieza, Head of the Management of Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) Unit at the Department of NCDs and Mental Health of the World Health Organization; Ulrika Årehed Kågström, President of UICC; and Dr Htoo Ktaw Lynn, Senior Technical Advisor, Vital Strategies, also spoke on the occasion. Experts said that with more comprehensive incidence, stage-at incidence, stage-at-diagnosis, and survival data, countries can identify the leading causes of cancer, target populations bearing the highest burden, assess the effectiveness of screening and early detection, and evaluate the results of care and treatment programmes.
