Expanding waistlines contribute to oesophageal cancer surge
Escalating obesity has contributed almost as much as smoking to a doubling of oesophageal cancer diagnoses in Australia over the past 25 years.
Highlighting the issue on World Cancer Day (4 February), Cancer Council Australia CEO, Professor Ian Olver, said more needed to be done through prevention to curb the disturbing increases in overweight and obesity.
“Oesophageal cancer is a good example of how Australia is falling short of our potential to prevent cancer through lifestyle change, with 37% of cases attributed to obesity and more than 45% caused by smoking,” Professor Olver said.
According to Professor Olver, World Cancer Day 2010, with its theme of prevention, was a timely reminder in the lead-up to the Australian Health Ministers’ Conference, expected to discuss the Government’s chronic disease prevention agenda.
“Federal, state and territory governments must show genuine commitment to work together to reduce the impact of a disease responsible for more premature death in Australia than any other cause.”
Professor Olver said the international prevention campaign, coordinated by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), also highlighted the link between cancer and infections such as hepatitis and human papillomavirus.
Information on UICC’s campaign is available at: www.worldcancercampaign.org
Cancer Council, COSA applaud US Government recommendations on gene patent policy
Cancer Council Australia and THE Clinical Oncological Society of Australia (COSA) congratulated the US Government for sending a timely message to Australian policy makers, following the announcement in February of recommendations aimed at protecting the public from commercial exploitation of gene patents.
Professor Olver and COSA President, Professor Bruce Mann, welcomed the new recommendations from the US Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetics, Health, and Society, which called for legal protection and policy reform to ensure gene patents did not restrict vital access to healthcare.
Professor Mann, a specialist breast surgeon who treats genetically at-risk patients, said the US recommendations were consistent with COSA and Cancer Council proposals to the Senate, such as establishing an advisory group for gene patents that included genetic clinicians.
“Gene patent policy needs formal clinical input, from professionals who understand the short and long-term scientific considerations in terms of patient care and future therapies,” Professor Mann said.
“Human genetic material is not an invention, but the discovery of something that exists in nature, and its use in research and diagnostic services, should never be compromised by an outdated patent system.”
Cancer Council’s position on gene patents can be found at: www.cancer.org.au/Newsmedia/Issues_in_the_media/Gene_patents.htm
Cancer Council Australia/COSA submission to the Senate inquiry:
www.cancer.org.au/policy/submissionstogovernment/GenePatentInquiry.htm
Cancer Council, COSA applaud principles of Rudd health reform agenda, but remote patient travel assistance left behind
Cancer Council Australia and COSA applauded the Rudd Government in March, for addressing the inefficiencies of Australia’s fragmented health system.
However, they were disappointed remote patient travel assistance would remain a state responsibility and warned this might perpetuate geographic inequities in cancer care outcomes.
Professor Olver said the proposal to unify the health system, establish national care standards and more transparent reporting had the potential to improve outcomes for cancer patients, whose capacity to access genuine multidisciplinary care was often described as a ‘lottery’.
“The plan to set national care standards by ensuring clinical practice guidelines are developed and applied locally as part of best practice is a tangible example of how improvements in care can be built into a unified system,” he said.
“However, we will still need to address under-utilisation of critical services such as radiotherapy, which require infrastructure and workforce investment.”
Professor Mann said he welcomed the emphasis on better engagement with clinicians in the development of care standards and guidelines.
“It is critical that this principle is backed up by formal partnerships with independent professional clinician groups, mandating our role in reforming the health system.
“In the meantime, clinicians caring for cancer patients in rural and remote areas – who have significantly poorer treatment outcomes than metropolitan patients – will be disappointed to see no recommendation for centralised coordination of patient travel schemes.”
US gene patent ruling sends message to Australian policy makers, say Cancer Council, COSA
A US court ruling in March that patents should never have been granted for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations linked to breast and ovarian cancer reinforces a call by Cancer Council Australia and COSA for gene patenting law reform in Australia.
Professor Olver said the US judge’s finding that biological materials in an isolated form are discoveries, not inventions, clarifies the ambiguity that has clouded the gene patenting debate.
“This result is not only significant to research and diagnostic uses of BRCA1 and BRCA2, it also sets a precedent for preventing the establishment of commercial monopolies over the use of many other genes and mutations that might hold the key to reducing cancer death and disease,” Professor Olver said.
“It should send a message to Australian policy makers. We trust the Senate committee inquiring into this issue is watching with great interest.”
Professor Mann said a similar ruling in Australia would give comfort to Australian women, whose access to public genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer was threatened by an attempted commercial monopoly in 2008.
“Until Australian courts follow the US lead and recognise that genes should not be patented, the future of public access to genetic tests and to other vital, non-commercial uses of genetic material remains uncertain,” Professor Mann said.
Plain packaging could see Australia ‘re-established as world leader’ in reducing tobacco deaths
The Australian Government‘s decision in April to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products will cut cancer rates in Australia by eliminating one of the most effective remaining forms of cigarette advertising.
Professor Olver said the Government’s commitment to phase out glossy branded tobacco packaging would enhance the effectiveness of graphic health warnings on packs and assist people trying to quit their deadly smoking habit.
“When tobacco products are sold in plain packs, not only will the health warnings be more prominent, but research also points to a reduction in youth smoking and an overall increase in quitting,” Professor Olver said
“By committing to replacing the glossy coloured packs with plain packaging, the Government has re-established Australia as a world leader in health policy aimed at reducing the death and disease caused by smoking.”
Professor Olver said reductions in premature cancer diagnoses resulting from the government’s anti-smoking package would significantly reduce pressure on Australia’s health system over the longer term.
Tobacco tax increase will slash cancer and cardiovascular disease deaths
Australia’s future cancer and cardiovascular disease burden will be dramatically reduced as a result of the Government’s decision to increase tobacco tax by 25 per cent, Cancer Council Australia and the National Heart Foundation of Australia said in April.
Professor Olver, and the CEO of the National Heart Foundation, Dr Lyn Roberts, said the tax increase in addition to the planned introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products made the announcement “a historic day for preventative health policy in Australia”.
“An increase in excise of 25 per cent should prompt more than 100,000 Australian adults to quit smoking and prevent 25,000 children from becoming addicted to nicotine. That translates to saving thousands of Australians from a premature cancer death,” said Professor Olver.
Professor Olver and Dr Roberts said the commitment to increase tobacco tax and introduce plain tobacco packaging showed the Government was serious about disease prevention as a pillar of health system reform.
Cancer Council, COSA welcome ‘major investment’ in reducing regional cancer care inequity
The Australian Government’s ‘Delivering better cancer care’ plan released in April is the most important federal initiative for reducing geographic inequity in cancer care outcomes that Australia has seen, according to Cancer Council Australia and COSA.
Professor Olver said it was well-documented that Australians diagnosed with cancer had poorer treatment outcomes the further they lived from a city where they could receive multidisciplinary cancer care.
“Last year’s federal budget announcement of $560 million for a network of regional cancer centres marked the first time an Australian Government committed to a major investment in reducing this disparity,” Professor Olver said.
Professor Mann also applauded the announcement: “Funding vital infrastructure such as new radiotherapy and chemotherapy facilities, PET scanners and accommodation for remote patients, as recommended by local communities, is a groundbreaking capital investment in regional cancer care”, he said.
According to Professors Olver and Mann, Cancer Council Australia and COSA had for many years promoted the concept of a network of regional cancer centres, with capital funding from the Australian Government and recurrent costs provided by jurisdictions.
It was now important to improve patient travel and accommodation schemes, to ensure that cancer patients in more remote areas were better able to benefit from the milestone funding.
The Government’s commitment to introduce national standards and reporting in the health system to ensure consistent, high quality cancer care nationwide was also welcome, provided they were developed around advice from independent clinicians.
New guide on advanced prostate cancer for men and their families
A new booklet is available to support men and their families in the diagnosis and treatment of advanced prostate cancer.
Advanced Prostate Cancer - a guide for men and their families explains the advanced stages of prostate cancer, its treatments and how men and their families can manage patient health and care.
Developed by the Australian Prostate Cancer Collaboration in association with Cancer Council’s Australian Cancer Network, the guide was produced as a sequel to the booklet Local Prostate Cancer - a guide for men and their families.
Advanced Prostate Cancer draws on the National Health and Medical Research Council’s draft clinical practice guidelines, to provide a comprehensive source of information, written and reviewed by leading practitioners.
Download the guide from www.cancer.org.au/Healthprofessionals/clinicalguidelines/prostatecancer.htm or call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 for a printed copy.
Events
Who will you buy a daffodil for?
If you like giving or receiving flowers and you think the one in two people who get cancer is one too many, then this August, please support Cancer Council’s Daffodil Day.
Getting involved is easy. You can either register to receive a box of merchandise to sell, or you can purchase one of our Daffodil Day gifts at selected outlets during August, and on Daffodil Day itself (Friday, 27th August).
This year’s range includes daffodil pins (ranging from $5-$30), our ever-popular pens ($5), soccer balls ($7), diamantes ($10) and this year’s collectable Dougal Bear, decked out in a fetching yellow hoodie ($10). Coles have also come on board with bunches of fresh daffodils ($5) and the special Daffodil Day enviro bag ($2.50).
Funds raised support cancer research, prevention programs and support services for cancer patients and their families.
And don’t forget we always need volunteers to help us sell Daffodil Day merchandise on the day. Visit www.daffodilday.com.au or phone 1300 65 65 85 for more information.