Cancer Research in Switzerland - Krebsliga Schweiz
Cancer Research in Switzerland - Krebsliga Schweiz
Cancer Research in Switzerland - Krebsliga Schweiz
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The importance of cancer registries for health policy<br />
<strong>Cancer</strong> is a significant disease <strong>in</strong> <strong>Switzerland</strong>: Four out of ten people are diagnosed with<br />
cancer at some po<strong>in</strong>t <strong>in</strong> their lives, and 16,000 people die of cancer each year. The number<br />
of cases of cancer <strong>in</strong> <strong>Switzerland</strong> is expected to <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> the future due to the age<strong>in</strong>g<br />
population.<br />
<strong>Switzerland</strong> must have reliable data to monitor the development of cancer, to better understand<br />
the causes of cancer, and to assess the effectiveness and quality of prevention and<br />
treatment. These data are systematically collected by cantonal cancer registries and then<br />
aggregated and analyzed on a national level by the National Institute for <strong>Cancer</strong> Epidemiology<br />
and Registration (NICER). In February 2011 NICER, the Swiss Childhood <strong>Cancer</strong> Registry<br />
(SCCR), and the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) published the report “<strong>Cancer</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Switzerland</strong>:<br />
Situation and development from 1983 to 2007”. This report provides an overview<br />
of the national cancer <strong>in</strong>cidence and many other aspects of cancer, and it is an important,<br />
evidence-based foundation for decision-mak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> politics, prevention, and medical practice.<br />
At present there are 16 cantonal or regional cancer registries, which cover only about twothirds<br />
of the population of <strong>Switzerland</strong>. Therefore, for estimates for the whole of <strong>Switzerland</strong><br />
these figures have to be extrapolated. S<strong>in</strong>ce it is assumed that there are differences<br />
<strong>in</strong> cancer <strong>in</strong>cidence among the different language regions of <strong>Switzerland</strong>, certa<strong>in</strong> distortions<br />
of the data are possible. These statistical problems will be solved only once there is full-<br />
coverage data collection <strong>in</strong> all cantons. NICER and the cancer registries therefore support<br />
the cont<strong>in</strong>ued efforts of the Federal Council to create a basis <strong>in</strong> federal law for full-coverage,<br />
nationally coord<strong>in</strong>ated cancer registration <strong>in</strong> <strong>Switzerland</strong>.<br />
National Institute for <strong>Cancer</strong> Epidemiology<br />
and Registration (NICER)<br />
c/o ISPMZ<br />
University of Zurich<br />
Seilergraben 49<br />
CH-8001 Zurich<br />
Phone +41 (0)44 634 53 74<br />
<strong>in</strong>fo@nicer.org<br />
www.nicer.org<br />
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