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Thursday 4 February 2016: World Cancer Day

01 Feb 2016 | By INSERM (Newsroom) | International

Initiated by UICC (Union for International Cancer Control), World Cancer Day will take place on 4 February, to make the general public more aware of ways to prevent and manage the disease.

 

This international campaign is a reminder of the seriousness of cancer, a major cause of death worldwide, leading to 8.2 million deaths in 2012.[1] According to WHO, the annual number of new cases is expected to rise from 14 million in 2012 to 22 million in the next two decades.

In France, cancer is the leading cause of mortality, with 320,000 new cases and 145,000 deaths each year.[2]

Inserm researchers devote themselves to cancer research on a year-round basis, in order to reduce the mortality associated with the disease, reverse its incidence and gravity, and improve patient care.

The members of the “Immunology of Tumours and Immunotherapy” team from Inserm Unit 1015 have focused on the role of intestinal bacteria in alleviating side-effects and increasing the efficacy of an immunotherapy in oncology. Their work shows that the intestinal flora dictates the therapeutic response, offering attractive opportunities for treatment.

See press release “The intestinal flora as a complement to immunotherapy in oncology”.

Elsewhere, the researchers from the Stress and Cancer team (Inserm/Institut Curie), designated by the French National Cancer League, and directed by Fatima Mechta-Grigoriou, have taken a new step towards identifying a targeted therapy for women with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer.

See press release “Ovarian cancer: A promising approach for treating the most aggressive forms using targeted therapy”.

For your interviews and reporting requirements, you can find all specialist contacts at Inserm in the “Cancer press-kit” available as a download opposite.

[1] Source: WHO

[2] Source: Inserm

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