The regional rise in age-standardised incidence has been running at four to eight times the global average since the 1990s. Meanwhile, the disease is no longer a concern large of developed countries but has become an increasingly important one in many emerging market states, where it is frequently now the most common form of cancer among females.

This report, Breast Cancer: The challenge and response, written by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and commissioned by Pfizer, examines the growing health burden of the disease in 10 major Asia-Pacific countries and territories, as well as how health systems are addressing the challenge. 

The incidence of lung cancer is rising in Italy, particularly among women. On the other hand Italy, like many of its European neighbours, is improving the ways that it fights lung cancern, both in a clinical sense and through an array of broader policies. By considering a variety of measures to discourage smoking, and by experimenting with innovative approaches to financing new treatments, Italy is starting to formulate plans to reduce the burdens of the disease.

This study, which assesses the burden of the disease and the policies aimed at reducing it, concludes that stronger policies are needed to wage a successful war on lung cancer in Italy.While important advances are being made in benefits coverage, and in financing clinical innovations, some of the basic ways to tackle the disease receive too little attention. These include recognising the disease's true demographics, and strengthening measures to discourage smoking, a major cause of the illness.

Cancer is a common concern for countries in the Asia-Pacific region, yet treatment of the disease varies markedly among its various healthcare systems. A new study by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)—Controlling cancer: The state of national cancer control plans in Asia, commissioned by Mundipharma— looks at the state of cancer control in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Through in-depth desk research and interviews with healthcare officials, the report qualitatively assesses how these countries are dealing with cancer, focusing on similarities and differences in the implementation of National Cancer Control Plans (NCCPs).   

The study finds that resources are a key success factor, with the three countries most successful in fighting the disease—Australia, South Korea and Taiwan—also the wealthiest. Within the developed markets studied, quality of governance also plays a crucial role in cancer control: the study highlights that the existence of a NCCP with clear national objectives, quality assurance mechanisms and integrated case management account for close to a quarter of the difference in cancer outcomes.

Wealthy countries might be better at treating cancer but the disease is much more prevalent there: it accounts for between 25% and 30% of deaths in Australia, South Korea and Taiwan compared to 7% in India and 13% in Indonesia.