Annual Report 2006

23
declining trend in the number of new patients.
The objective of this Awareness Week is to
instill awareness in the minds of the general
population and to enrich its knowledge about
the dangers inherent in exposure to the sun.
According to surveys that we conducted it is
evident that there is higher awareness among
the Israeli public about the harmful effects of the
sun, and there is testimony to the fact that this
awareness is evident in a behavioral change and
in a steadily growing trend of adopting protective
measures that have the potential to reduce the
risk of skin cancer".
Prof. Robin Marks, Chairman of the International
Dermatology Association, who participated in
the ICA press conference, spoke about the
efforts being made in Australia to combat skin
cancer. The public health services in Australia
began developing educational programs for the
general population and for professionals early
in the game, to reduce not only the incidence
rates of these tumors but also to precipitate the
stages at which they are discovered and treated.
Today these campaigns have touched almost
everyone throughout Australia in one way or
another. He asserts that many achievements
have been made thanks to these efforts, but
that there is still a long road ahead.
Revised Incidence Rates by age
per 100,000 inhabitants
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Men
2005
Women
Declining Trend in Malignant
Melanoma Incidence in Israel
At the press conference, Dr. Micha Barhanna,
Director of the National Cancer Registry in
the Ministry of Health, delivered an update on
malignant melanoma incidence rates for 2006,
indicating a declining trend in incidence
among men and stability among women.
An additional finding was the stabilization
of early detection rates of the disease, after
a sharp rise in these rates when in actuality
about 30% of the patients are diagnosed with
a localized disease, in which there are greater
possibilities for treatment and a higher cure
rate. The statistics as a whole indicate that the
survival and cure rates are anticipated to be
higher for those diagnosed from the outset of
the 21st century. The reason for the decline in
incidence and in the change that has occurred
towards a diagnosis at earlier stages, is related
to primary and secondary prevention activities,
in other words, reduced exposure to the sun
and increased awareness among the population
as to suspicious lesions or moles and the need
have them checked.
New Survey conducted as the summer
approaches reveals surprising
findings about public attitudes
about the harmful effects of the sun
As summer 2006 approached, a new survey
was conducted by the ICA held by Market
Watch, revealing that the general population
is aware of the harmful effects of the sun.
The survey was held at the end of April 2006,
with 500 interviews participating, constituting
a national and representative sample of the
Hebrew speaking population in Israel and a
computerized telephone poll was conducted
in which the participants were asked what
the harmful effects of the sun are. The survey
indicated that there is a very high awareness
of 89% among the general population, who
knew that the sun exposure causes skin cancer.
The survey participants responded as follows,
without having responses read to them during
the telephone poll:
New
Publication
Oncology Lexicon
The ICA published an oncology
lexicon containing 300 professional
terms relating to cancer and
prevention methods. The lexicon
is geared toward cancer patients
and their families and it has been
published courtesy of Roche
Pharmaceuticals Israel as part
of a unique venture. The terms in
the lexicon appear in Hebrew and
in English and their definition is
written in clear, simple and reader
friendly Hebrew. The ICA Resource
Center collected and defined
the terms upon consulting with
Prof. Dan Adreka and Dr. Yaakov
Lawrence of the Oncology Institute
at the Sheba Medical Center Tel
Hashomer
Updated
Publications
Additional new booklets in Arabic
courtesy of the COPE Project
In a joint COPE Project and ICA
venture, additional booklets have
recently been published in Arabic.
The COPE Project has published
seven indispensable booklets for
cancer patients in Arabic: rights
and services for the cancer patient,
supportive nutritional treatment,
hormonal treatment for breast cancer,
radiotherapy for breast cancer,
chemotherapy, everything you wanted
to know about cancer but were afraid
to ask, and questions and answers
about breast cancer. The information
in Arabic is comprehensive and up to
date, and we all hope that it will assist
the Arab sector in effectively coping
with cancer and beating the disease.