In The cancer wars Lancet series, IARC Director emphasizes primary prevention as the most effective way to fight cancer

In a piece entitled “Global cancer patterns: causes and prevention”, IARC Director Dr Christopher Wild, and long-time IARC collaborator Dr Paolo Vineis show that in view of the growing global cancer burden, primary prevention is a particularly effective –and probably also cost-effective– approach to curbing the increase: whilst between a third and half of all cancers are preventable on the basis of current knowledge, “structural interventions (including bans, taxation, and urban planning)” are needed, however, which can benefit other people, reduce shared risk factors associated with other noncommunicable diseases, and can completely remove or reduce some long-term causes of cancer.

Global cancer patterns: causes and prevention
Paolo Vineis, Christopher P Wild
The Lancet, Early Online Publication, 16 December 2013
doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62224-2
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