World Cancer Day: Medical Association President Calls for Prevention

Approximately 419,000 people were living with a cancer diagnosis at the beginning of 2024. The number of new cases is 46,000 annually. The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the higher the chances of survival. Early detection examinations can lead to cancers being discovered and treated at early stages. The Medical Association (ÖAK) reminded of this on the occasion of World Cancer Day on Tuesday.

"I appeal to the population to take advantage of the free preventive care offered by doctors annually," emphasized Johannes Steinhart, President of the Medical Association. Preventive examinations should be conducted for the colon and prostate from the age of 45 and for the breast from the age of 40, as more and more people are developing cancer earlier.

Increase in Cancer Patients

The ever-increasing number of cancer patients is also burdening the Austrian healthcare system. More doctors are needed in oncology, as well as an expansion of certified centers specializing in individual types of cancer, according to Paul Sevelda, head of the Karl Landsteiner Institute for Gynecological Oncology and Senology and President of the Austrian Cancer Aid. Sevelda sees a need for centers for prostate, lung, colon, or pancreatic cancer. A possible relief for the healthcare system could be so-called Cancer Nurses, who can improve the care of cancer patients with their expertise, according to Sevelda.

Many types of cancer can be prevented through a healthy lifestyle. This includes sufficient exercise and not smoking. Another preventive measure is the HPV vaccination. This vaccination is free for everyone under 30 until the end of 2025.

Various Initiatives

In Austria, there are various initiatives dedicated to the research and better therapy of different types of cancer. The project "DART2OS" by the Austrian Science Fund is dedicated to the better treatment of osteosarcomas, an aggressive form of bone cancer that accounts for about three percent of all cancer cases in children. The Austrian Comprehensive Cancer Network serves as a platform for exchange among the medical universities of Vienna, Innsbruck, Graz, and the Medical Faculty of Linz. The Cancer Mission of Horizon Europe promotes the exchange of medical universities and non-university research institutions, healthcare system actors, and affected patients.

(APA/Red)

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