ASCP Fights Global Cancer Epidemic and Empowers Patients

World Cancer Day, an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control, is recognized every year on Feb. 4 to raise awareness that millions of people worldwide face unequal access to cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care services. Through its initiatives both on the international stage and its Patient Champions program, ASCP is fighting this epidemic and teaching patients how to ask the right questions when it comes to their own cancer care.

Annually, eight million people worldwide die from cancer. By 2035, that figure is predicted to rise to nearly 15 million cancer-related deaths per year; 70% of the burden will fall on countries that are the least equipped to provide diagnosis and patient care.

ASCP’s Center for Global Health is collaborating with Novartis and the American Cancer Society to improve access to cancer treatment in several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia and Malawi. The goal is to provide earlier and more effective diagnoses to cancer patients, improving the likelihood for better health outcomes. As a part of this collaboration, ASCP is currently building healthcare capacity for immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis in seven hospital laboratories, as IHC is required for oncologists to treat many cancers.

Watch this video below, which highlights a patient story captured by Novartis to showcase the reality of the cancer situation in Ethiopia. Through the joint initiative between ASCP, Novartis and ACS, partners are being connected to national health priorities, strengthening the whole continuum of care for cancer patients, from training for better diagnosis and care and improved access to treatment, through to advocacy for national cancer treatment guidelines.

Not only are diagnostics necessary to screen for cancer, diagnose disease and develop care plans for patients, but patients also need to understand their diagnosis so they can advocate for themselves. ASCP Patient Champions supports the mission of reducing the impact of cancer worldwide by empowering patients to understand the role of pathology in their diagnosis and treatment, and to advocate for themselves.

The ASCP Patient Champions program raises awareness of the vital role that the medical laboratory plays in patient care through real-life stories of patients. By sharing their stories, ASCP Patient Champions empower other patients, caregivers and advocates to ask the right questions and understand their diagnoses, management choices and treatment options. Read more about the ASCP Patient Champions program by visiting www.ascp.org/patients and meet our Champions, such as Travis who was diagnosed with prostate cancer and treated successfully with the help of the lab team. You can also discover more about our Champions on the ASCP Patient Champions Facebook and Instagram.