The 4th International Cancer Control Congress.

There is increasing recognition of the growing population burden of cancer in all countries worldwide – a reflection of the increasing number of people and the aging of the global population as a result of the demographic transition associated with global human development. There is also an increasing realization that the burden of cancer will become greatest amongst those with the least capacity to respond. The most immediate consequence of this inexorable challenge is one of overwhelming the available resources (human, technical, facility and financial) to treat cancer, notwithstanding the potential longer-term gains of increasing functional years of life through the control of disease, survivorship and productive longevity.