IARC Handbooks Group

RATIONALE:

Global and regional variations and time trends in cancer incidence among and within populations suggest that a sizeable percentage of cancers are preventable.

Cancer prevention builds on the identification and evidence-based evaluation of agents and interventions (including chemopreventive agents, personal interventions, cancer screening, and tobacco control measures) that reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Scientists worldwide conduct studies to determine which interventions can prevent cancer or reduce mortality from cancer. As this evidence accumulates, performing systematic reviews and evaluations of such evidence enables links to be established between interventions and reduced risks of cancer.

Scientific information that is both authoritative and trusted can help governmental agencies and individuals understand complex scientific concepts and develop public actions to reduce an individual’s risk of developing cancer.