UN health agency calls for investment boost to save young lives from cancer

More children and young people are beating cancer, but progress remains uneven across regions and age groups, highlighting the need for increased investment to boost survival rates.That’s according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO) which on Wednesday released complete country comparable baseline data on five-year survival estimates for lymphoid leukaemia – a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. The data, covering 194 nations, informed the findings of a report published in May – Measuring Survival, Driving Change – that examined global efforts to address inequalities and ensure more children and adolescents defeat a cancer diagnosis. “Childhood cancer is one of the clearest indicators of health system performance,” said Dr. Roberta Ortiz, Childhood Cancer Medical Officer at WHO. Marked disparitiesEach year, approximately 400,000 people worldwide aged 19 and under, develop cancer. Even though most childhood cancers are highly treatable, survival depends on where patients live. In high-income countries, survival rates now reach between 80 per cent and 90 per cent, compared with closer to 40 per cent in countries with weaker health systems. The report described this g...