Cancer is a major health problem. Every year about 7 million people die because of cancer. A great part of cancers can be prevented and another part of them can be cured if detected at early stages. The most important strategies of reducing cancer incidence and mortality consist in informing and educating population about cancer and effectuating intense researches. These are the main purposes of cancer societies.
There are a lot of cancer societies in United States and worldwide. All cancer organizations, either governmental or charitable, have been established to help cancer patients, to prevent cancer in healthy population and to make researches about cancer origins, cause, preventing, screening, early diagnosing and treatment. Cancer societies are usually specializing on certain cancer related problems.
For example, American Association for Cancer Research - the largest scientific organization - is concentrating on scientific researches. The American Cancer Society is a voluntary health organization dedicated to cancer prevention, decreasing cancer mortality and diminishing pain and suffering in patients with cancer. Their strategy is based on research, advocacy, and education. Cancer societies are collaborating in order to exchange experience and share strategic direction.
Some of the national and international cancer organizations are more specifically oriented. They can be dedicated only to a specific type of cancer or to a specific branch of cancer care and treatment, diagnosing, and so on. For example, there are such cancer societies as American Brain Tumor Association, American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, British National Lymphoma Investigation, and many more.
Among world cancer societies can be mentioned Federation of European Cancer Societies, World Health Organization (WHO), which provides a special cancer control program, Australian Cancer Society, British Association for Cancer Research, and so on. The Federation of European Cancer Society is an international non-profit organization that manages collaboration between different European cancer societies.
The WHO cancer control program is dedicated to the development and implementation of effective strategies for reducing cancer incidence. They are offering a framework for national cancer control program management that can be adapted to different socioeconomic conditions. There are proposed rational solutions for the most efficient use of available resources.
The strategies proposed are dedicated to specific cancer related problems. For example, cancer prevention strategies include increasing population awareness and reducing exposure to risk factors, and also supporting the adoption of a healthy lifestyle. Palliative care strategies are formed to relief pain and improve the quality of life of affected people. Other strategies are dedicated to research, screening, early detection, treatment, and so on.
The main purpose of cancer societies is to exchange experience and knowledge, educate population, decrease cancer incidence, reduce cancer mortality by cancer prevention and early detection, increase the efficiency of cancer treatment, and improve the life quality of affected people by support, advocacy and care.
Cancer societies may not find a specific cure for cancer, but they motivate the public to get involved.