New WHO study says there's not enough funds being spent on cancer care and treatment
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Ahead of World Cancer Day this Sunday, the World Health Organization said cancer rates are expected to nearly double in the next 25 years. Despite all the advances, cancer rates are still growing.
Doctors blame obesity, smoking and alcohol.
Alexia Da Silva embraces each new day life gives her.
"I never cried from joy before cancer," she said.
The 42-year-old was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.
"I just went into shock and then tears," she said.
To mark World Cancer Day, the World Health Organization released a new study of 115 countries that shows a majority don't spend enough on cancer care and treatment.
"This is not the time to turn away," Dr. Andre Ilbawi, WHO's technical lead on cancer, said. "It's the time to double down and make those investments in cancer prevention and control."
In 2022, 20 million people were diagnosed with cancer and the world saw nearly 10 million deaths from the disease. One in five people will develop cancer in their lifetime.
"And around one in nine men and one in 12 women will die from the disease," Ilbawi said.
Researchers estimate that 70% of cancer deaths are in low- and middle-income countries. Now an international cancer organization is launching a new campaign called "Close the Care Gap."
"What we're trying to do at the American Cancer Society is to close that care gap through a focus on prevention, through focus on cancer treatment and through a focus on support of patients and caregivers," Dr. Shanthi Sivendran, American Cancer Society, said.
For Alexia, it's about sharing her spirit of strength in surviving cancer with others.
"We have a secret bond, something that connects all of us," she said.
Now in remission, she said she cherishes every magical moment.
Doctors said surviving cancer depends on early detection, which often comes with recommended screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies.
