World Cancer Congress: Multidisciplinary program to offer ‘invaluable benefit’

The World Cancer Congress will be held Oct. 18-20 in Geneva.

Healio will serve as an official media partner for the conference, which will offer a multidisciplinary program that highlights best practices for cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

The World Cancer Congress is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), a 1,200-member organization that aims to unite and support the cancer community to reduce the global cancer burden, promote equity, and ensure cancer control remains a priority around the globe.

Healio spoke with Cary Adams, MBA, BSc — CEO of UICC — about what makes the congress unique, highlights of this year’s program, and how the knowledge and insights attendees gain can translate into improved cancer care.

Healio: What would you say to encourage clinicians to attend this year’s World Cancer Congress?

Adams: We have some 2,000 people attending the World Cancer Congress from more than 100 countries. Furthermore, online registration is available for the first time, and we expect hundreds more from around the world to access to the online program and recordings of the face-to-face sessions taking place in Geneva. This is aligned with UICC’s longstanding concern for greater equity in health care and providing opportunities for more people to access services, information and expertise related to cancer. In fact, equity is the central theme of the World Cancer Day 2022-2024 campaign — “Close the care gap.”

Participants at World Cancer Congress represent a wide range of sectors and roles in the health community, from patient advocates and researchers to policymakers and private sector representatives. This unique gathering means that clinicians can make incredible connections. They can find out how colleagues are managing in other parts of the world, benefit others with their experience or learn from others, and exchange insights and solutions to similar challenges

They also will be exposed to contrasting points of views that can deepen their understanding of their own work. Most of us — not just clinicians — also operate most of the year in a familiar environment, and it can be particularly inspiring and rewarding to meet and exchange with people working in other areas.

Then, of course, there is wealth of knowledge to be gained from the sessions and scientific abstracts.

Healio: There are several specific themes for this year’s congress. Why do you consider these themes so timely and relevant, and how are they reflected in congress programming this year?

Adams: The six principal themes that guide the program of the World Cancer Congress are designed to highlight where the cancer community is making strong progress, the advances that are benefiting the lives of people with cancer — with regard to treatment, as well as quality of life — innovations that can lead to lower mortality and fewer diagnoses, and also the many challenges we face and how they can be addressed.

Forty percent of cancers are due to modifiable risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol and poor diet. There is space here for cost-effective action on the part of governments to prevent millions of cancer cases by regulating the consumption of products that contribute to cancer, as well as the industries that market them, often using manipulative tactics. Tobacco control clearly falls in this space, and we’ve given it a particular importance.

We also could prevent a significant number of cancer-related deaths through vaccination against HPV and hepatitis B, as well as routine screening for several cancers so they can be detected earlier. We have several sessions that look at how this situation plays out in different income settings.

Indeed, although there are promising advances — such as in vitro diagnostics and multicancer screening — that may drastically improve our ability to detect cancer early, many low-income countries already struggle to provide basic screening services to their populations. We must ensure that next decade sees greater equity — not less — in cancer care.

In addition to prevention, the program highlights treatment and palliative or supportive care for patients. We look not only at advances that can significantly improve a person’s chances of surviving cancer and how countries in low-resource settings can prioritize services to reduce their cancer burden, but also how the life of patients can be made better and more comfortable. How can we make living with cancer less onerous from a psychological, financial and social point of view?

Finally, we felt it was important to address systemic issues in health systems that may hinder the proper delivery of services, and, therefore diminish the impact of policies and programs.

Healio: What aspect of this year’s congress are you most excited about (eg, a new program type, a specific session or speaker, etc.)?

Adams: I must say that I look forward above all to welcoming delegates from around the world once again to an in-person event, and hosting them in Geneva, where UICC is headquartered. It’s been a very challenging two and half years for everyone and I am really excited to see familiar faces once again, as well as new faces in October!

Otherwise, it’s very hard to single out a specific speaker or session — or even theme. I would perhaps draw a particular attention our two “big debates,” which offer contrasting views on topics that may be controversial. The first asks if all males and females should receive the HPV vaccine to eliminate cervical cancer. The second is on the right to assisted dying: What does it entail, who can access it under what circumstances, and should it be made available to patients with cancer at the end of life?

We also have a session on the generational ban on tobacco consumption, which New Zealand was the first to implement earlier this year. The policy aims to allow the next generation to grow up tobacco free by preventing anyone born after 2008 from buying tobacco products — ever. We are honored to welcome Ayesha Verrall, MP, FRACP, associate minister of health in New Zealand, to this session.

Healio: How do you think the lessons attendees learn during this year’s congress will help them improve the quality of care they provide to their patients?

Adams: I believe the great strength of the World Cancer Congress is the unique opportunities that it offers participants to learn from each other, be exposed to novel ways of tackling shared challenges, and generally draw on the experience of others. I’d like to think that everyone will return home with new ideas and renewed energy, which will be of invaluable benefit not only to their patients but also colleagues and the health system in which they work.

Healio: Is there anything else about this year’s World Cancer Congress that you feel is important to emphasize?

Adams: The variety of the program, certainly, with in-person as well as digital components, with all the sessions available on-demand on the Congress online platform.

And then we are creating a specific offer and network for leaders of cancer organizations, including CEOs and presidents of cancer leagues, foundations, research institutes, hospitals, UN agencies and the private sector, as well as governmental representatives, including ministries of health. They are being provided with speaking roles and engagement opportunities, invitations to specific events such as a leaders’ reception hosted by WHO in its new building, tailored opportunities to make connections among themselves, and bespoke sessions covering issues such as the future of global health governance and the future of health and its implications for cancer control.

Congress registration :

World Cancer Congress will be held Oct. 18-20 in Geneva. For more information about registration, click here. Accredited media can register here for on-site or digital attendance.

For more information:

Cary Adams, MBA, BSc — born in London — has a BSc Honors degree in economics, computing and statistics, and a masters degree (with distinction) in business administration. He is a Harvard Business School alumni and has received two honorary doctorates for international relations and health. In 2009, Adams made a career change, moving from the management of international businesses in the banking sector to become CEO of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), based in Geneva. UICC is the largest international cancer nongovernmental organization of its kind, with some 1,200 member organizations represented in more than 170 countries.