Lives in Focus: How innovation in cancer registries is advancing national cancer control plans and patient outcomes

At our World Health Summit 2025 event, global experts explored how cancer registry innovation advances national cancer control plans and improves health outcomes.

Cancer causes nearly one in six deaths worldwide, claiming 10 million lives annually, with 70% of these deaths occurring in resource-constrained countries. Despite this devastating global burden, only one-third of countries maintain high-quality population-based cancer registries, meaning current figures likely underestimate the true scope of the crisis.

Without comprehensive cancer data, countries are forced to rely on external estimates that lack local relevance, creating significant barriers to effective cancer prevention and treatment planning.

Taking place at the 2025 World Health Summit in Berlin, this panel discussion, “Lives in Focus: How innovation in cancer registries is advancing national cancer control plans and patient outcomes” brought together country leaders and technical experts to share real-world experiences in establishing and strengthening population-based cancer registries for national cancer control strategies.

Speakers include:

• Ulrika Årehed Kågström, President of UICC
• Dr. Alarcos Cieza, Head of the Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, World Health Organization
• Lilian Genga, Program Coordinator, National Cancer Control Program, Ministry of Health, Kenya
• Marion Piñeros, M.D., Scientist, Cancer Surveillance Branch, IARC
• Adam Karpati, M.D., Senior Vice President, Public Health Programs, Vital Strategies
• Htoo Kyaw Lynn, Senior Technical Advisor, Vital Strategies

Moderated by Mary-Ann Etiebet, M.D., President and CEO, Vital Strategies.