Each year, more than 11 million people are diagnosed with cancer and 7 million people die from the disease worldwide. Cancer contributed 11% of the disease burden and around 20% of all deaths in the European Region in 2002, with cancer of the trachea/bronchus/lung being the leading cause.

• Enough is already known about the causes to prevent at least one third of all cancers.
• Information is also available that would permit the early detection and effective treatment of a further third of cases. Early detection increases the chance of cure substantially.
• Pain can be relieved and palliative care provided to all patients and their families, even in low-resource settings.

A well-designed and -managed national cancer control programme can lower cancer incidence and improve patients' quality of life.