Cancer 'pledge' signed in Dublin

An international resolution on combating cancer is being signed in Dublin today.

The Dublin Resolution, being signed at the World Cancer Leaders' Summit in the Mansion House, pledges signatories to promote the reduction of non-communciable diseases including cancer cases by a quarter by 2025.

The summit includes cancer leaders from over 60 countries with representatives of ministries of health and cancer societies from countries such as Poland, Malta, Malaysia, the UK, Colombia, Australia and South Africa.

MEPs, European Commission officials and World Health Organisation representatives are also in attendance.

Hosted by the Irish Cancer Society, the summit was organised by the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC), an organisation that aims to assist and accelerate the fight against cancer.

Irish Cancer Society chief executive John McCormack said lifestyle changes including giving up smoking, reducing alcohol and eating more healthily can reduce the risk of cancer.

He highlighted the importance of setting and meeting targets to improve people's health. And said we needed to invest in improving our health as a nation.

"The battle against cancer and ill-health has to go in good times and in bad times," he said.

He also said the organisation was disappointed that the "long-promised" Sun Bed Regulation Bill had been pushed out to 2012. Smoking rates in Ireland were also too high, particularly among young, disadvantaged women, he said. Mr McCormack said the Dublin Resolution sets an ambitious target.

"Challenging goals are critical to maintaining control of an epidemic that at some times seems impossible to manage, never mind decrease," he said.

Cary Adams, chief executive of UICC said he is optimistic the 2025 target could be achieved. He said about 30 per cent of cancers today can be prevented.

"They are driven by risk factors, predominantly tobacco, so in the world of Ireland tomorrow where everybody gave up smoking the impact on health in the next ten years to 15 years would be extraordinary," he said.

The target had to be pushed.

"Someone's got to say we have to address that which is preventable," he said.