Global Health Asia-Pacific Issue 1 | 2024 | Page 22

Cancer burden projected to skyrocket in the next decades

The impact will be mostly felt in low- and middle-income countries

The staggering increase will be driven by several causes , including population ageing and growth , along with exposure to risk factors like tobacco , alcohol , obesity , and air pollution .

As is often the case in medicine , inequities mean that poorer nations will bear the brunt of cancer growth . While high human development index ( HDI ) countries will see the greatest increase in absolute numbers , with an additional 4.8 million new cases , proportional increases in low and medium HDI countries will reach the highest percentages , at 142 and 99 percent , respectively . Cancer deaths are also estimated to double in low and medium HDI nations .

The HDI is a measure of human development that takes into account several dimensions , such as a long and healthy life , being knowledgeable , and having a decent standard of living .

“ Despite the progress that has been made in the early detection of cancers and the treatment and care of cancer patients � significant disparities in cancer treatment outcomes exist not only between high and low-income regions of the world , but also within countries . Where someone lives should not determine whether they live . Tools exist to enable governments to prioritise cancer care , and to ensure that everyone has access to affordable , quality services . This is not just a resource issue but a matter of political will ,” Dr Cary Adams , head of UICC - Union for International Cancer Control , said in a WHO press release .

New non-invasive test can help diagnose oral cancer

The technique may identify the small number of people who require more invasive testing

n approach that measures proteins in the mouth can provide useful information for diagnosing oral cancer , sparing many patients an invasive and potentially harmful biopsy while identifying those who still require it .

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine brushed cells from oral lesions of people checking in at either dental clinics or the ear , nose , and throat department . They then devised a scoring system , based on the levels of certain proteins , to predict whether people had oral cancer . Their observations showed that early-stage cancers usually had high levels of the hBD-3 and low or normal levels of the hBD-2 proteins . For the discovery and validation phase of the study , researchers recruited 92 individuals who were being evaluated for oral squamous cell carcinoma , the most common malignant tumour developing in the head and neck areas .

“ We found it [ hBD-3 ] was not only promoting tumor growth but was overexpressed in the early stages of the disease , while another member , hBD-2 , wasn ’ t changing . This difference in levels of expression of the two proteins compared to the opposite side in the same patient led us to examine the BDI ’ s ability to distinguish cancer from benign lesions ,” study lead researcher Dr Aaron Weinberg , chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at the Case Western Reserve School of Dental Medicine , said in a University press release .

Oral cancers and precancerous lesions in the mouth are hard to diagnose early , one reason being that biopsies are expensive , invasive , and can lead to complications . The new approach might reduce about 95 percent of biopsies done in primary clinics by identifying only those people who may benefit from it , added Dr Weinberg . This diagnostic technique could make a big difference , especially in areas lacking adequate biopsy services .

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