“Global Breast Cancer Initiative” of WHO

“Global Breast Cancer Initiative” of WHO

Recently, the Global Breast Cancer Initiative was introduced by the World Health Organization, with the objective of reducing global breast cancer mortality by 2.5% per year until 2040, thereby averting an estimated 2.5 million deaths.

What is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the breast. Cancer starts when cells begin to grow out of control. Breast cancer cells usually form a tumor that can often be seen on an x-ray or felt as a lump. Breast cancer occurs almost entirely in women, but men can get breast cancer, too.

What are the various types of breast cancer

There are many different types of breast cancer and common ones include ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive carcinoma. Others, like phyllodes tumors and angiosarcoma are less common. Once a biopsy is done, breast cancer cells are tested for proteins called estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and HER2.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is considered as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. The Breast Cancer Awareness Month, marked in countries across the world every October, helps to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of this disease.

What is Global Breast Cancer Initiative?

Global Breast Cancer Initiative is a major step taken by World Health Organization to spread the awareness of Breast Cancer globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) March 9, 2021 introduced a Global Breast Cancer Initiative to reduce global breast mortality by 2.5 per cent by 2040.

What is the Aim of Global Breast Cancer Initiative?

The aim of Global Breast Cancer Initiative is to reduce 2.5 million global deaths, particularly in low-income countries, where the progress to tackle the disease has been relatively slow.

Significance of the Global Breast Cancer Initiative

The initiative particularly focused on reducing deaths in low-income countries. There the progress to tackle the disease is relatively slow.

Under the initiative, WHO works with other UN agencies. They provided guidance to governments on how to strengthen systems for diagnosing and treating breast cancer. It is expected to improve capacities to manage other types of cancer.

An evidence-based technical package also provided to countries as part of the initiative. It incorporated existing WHO cancer tools and products.