Darmstadt, Germany, November 1, 2016 - Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, and the American Cancer Society (ACS) today released a report that shows all four of the top causes of cancer deaths in women worldwide are mostly preventable or can often be detected early, when treatment is more successful. The report, titled "The Global Burden of Cancer in Women," is the first tangible output from an innovative partnership between Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and the American Cancer Society focused on raising awareness and strengthening advocacy around women's cancers. 
 
 "We are proud to partner with the American Cancer Society to address the impact cancer has on women worldwide," said Belén Garijo, member of the Executive Board and CEO Healthcare at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. "This collaboration is a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership that recognizes that no one sector can tackle this challenge alone. Improving women's health and well-being has an uplifting ripple effect on our world, and we know when women do better, our communities do better." 
 
 The research examines the increasing impact of cancer among women in low- and middle-income countries - and outlines potential solutions to minimize the economic and societal impact of the disease for women, their families and healthcare systems. 
 
 Cancer is the second leading cause of death in women, with breast, colorectal, lung and cervical cancers claiming the most lives each year. With cancer rates on the rise as the global population grows and ages, the number of women who will lose their lives to cancer is expected to increase, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In 2012, there were 3.5 million deaths among women due to cancer; by 2030, that number is expected to increase to 5.5 million deaths - a more than 57 percent increase in less than two decades. Increased education and prevention efforts will be essential to addressing this growing global health crisis. 
 
 "It's incumbent upon both the public and private sectors, as members of the global health community, to find ways to reduce the impacts of cancer on women by increasing prevention and treatment, saving the lives of women across the globe," said Ambassador Sally Cowal, senior vice president, global cancer control at the American Cancer Society. 
 
 In addition to the physical challenges women with cancer and their families experience, the burden of cancer also extends to the economy. The study found that in 2009, the global economic burden of cancer was estimated at about $286 billion, and much of that cost was due to premature death of members of the workforce. In the United States alone in 2008, years of productive life lost due to cancer in women corresponded to $82 billion, not to mention the many professional achievements that might have been realized. 
 
 The report was released at the World Cancer Congress during a panel moderated by Ambassador Cowal. Other participants included HRH Princess Dina Mired of Jordan; Dr. Alise Reicin, Head of Global Clinical Development in the biopharma business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany; and Dr. Edward L. "Ted" Trimble, director, Center for Global Health at the National Cancer Institute. 
 
 This partnership will also catalyse the evolution of the American Cancer Society's' All of Me Young Scholars program, which aims to educate and cultivate health and civil society professionals in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and India to affect meaningful change in prevention and early detection of cancers among women in low- and middle-income countries. 
 
 This report is part of the involvement of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, with the Healthy Women, Healthy Economies initiative, which explicitly links the issue of women's health and well-being with economic growth. The full "Global Burden of Cancer in Women" report is available http://www. cancer. org/ research/ cancerfactsstatistics/ global-burden-cancer-in-women . 
 
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 About the Healthy Women, Healthy Economies Initiative 
 
 Merck KGaA, Darrmstadt, Germany, is a founding partner of the Healthy Women, Healthy Economies initiative, which brings together the evidence about women's health and well-being and its impact on economic growth with the best practices that governments, employers and non-governmental organizations can follow. It aims to identify and implement policies that advance women's health and well-being to increase their economic participation in the societies in which they live. 
 
 About the American Cancer Society 
 
 The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers saving lives and fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society's efforts have contributed to a 20 percent decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. since 1991, and a 50 percent drop in smoking rates. Thanks in part to our progress, nearly 14 million Americans who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will celebrate more birthdays this year. We're determined to finish the fight against cancer. We're finding cures as the nation's largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, clean air and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org 
 
 About the American Cancer Society's All of Me Young Scholars Program 
 
 The American Cancer Society's All of Me Young Scholars program aims to educate and cultivate young health and civil society professionals around the world to bring their energy, voice and new ideas to the new and growing field of integration of women's cancer prevention and early detection. 
 
 About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany 
 
 All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the EMD Group Website. In case you are a resident of the USA or Canada please go to http://www. emdgroup. com/ subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service. 
 
 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life - from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2015, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 12.85 billion in 66 countries. 
 
 Founded in 1668, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, holds the global rights to the Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the company operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials. ||||| By mid-day online correspondent | Posted 02-Nov-2016 
 
 A latest report warned that cancer will kill nearly 5.5 million women by 2030. Amongst all forms of cancer responsible for this deadly cause, breast cancer seems to be the major one. An analysis conducted by the American Cancer Society released this report at the World Cancer Congress in Paris. The study suggested that as population will grow and age, the highest toll will be on women, especially those belonging to poor and middle income countries. Another report suggested that total number of women diagnosed with breast cancer can solely double up to 3.2 million a year by 2030 from 1.7 million in 2015. 
 
 Though factors like postponing motherhood, inactivity and obesity are major causes of cancer, especially breast and cervical cancers, there are ways by which we can lower the risk of the disease occuring in different parts of the body. Here is what you need to do: 
 
 1. Avoid tobacco: Female body is highly sensitive to tobacco and tobacco use is the sole greatest risk factor for cancer mortality globally. Though smoking is highly linked to lung cancer, it also leads to cancer of oesophagus, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach and cervix. 
 
 2. Participate in cancer screening tests: Women should undergo Papanicolaou (pap) smear tests to detect if they are suffering from cervical cancer. This form of cancer can be staved off by vaccination against the cancer causing human papillomavirus (HPV). Women aged between 50- 74 years should get a mammogram done in every two years. Women below this age group should consult doctors about when to start and how often to get a mammogram, a breast cancer screening test. Such cancer screening tests need be undertaken as per to recommended guidelines. 
 
 3. Balanced and healthy diet: A healthy diet consisting of ample fruits and green vegetables are prerequisite for a healthy life. Cutting down on processed and canned food also lowers the risk of certain types of cancer. 
 
 4. Exercise regularly: Regular physical activity cuts down the risk of obesity and types of cancers caused by obesity. Maintaining a healthy weight is necessary to stay fit and live long. 
 
 5. Protect skin from the sun damage: This is important for preventing skin cancer. It is good to avoid midday sun and to use a sunscreen with sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 while going out. 
 
 World Health Organisation (WHO) states that at least one-third of all cancer cases are preventable. A person himself/herself can reduce the risk of cancer to a great extent by adopting as well as maintaining a good lifestyle.
– Two disturbing reports were issued this week on the cancer front, with one noting women will see a spike in cancer deaths over the next decade or so—5.5 million cancer deaths by the year 2030. The other report adds that women afflicted with breast cancer alone could nearly double from 1.7 million diagnosed last year to 3.2 million by 2030, the Guardian reports. The first report, compiled by Merck and the American Cancer Society and released at the World Cancer Congress in Paris on Tuesday, says the predicted surge in cancer deaths would amount to a 57% increase, per a press release. The same report notes all four top cancers—breast, lung, colorectal, and cervical—are mostly preventable or easily detected early on, aiding treatment. The second report, based on three papers in the Lancet, adds cervical cancer may rise by as much as 25% by 2030, leading to 700,000 diagnoses. That report also notes women in low- and middle-income countries carry much of the burden of breast and cervical cancers, with less access to quality care and a greater likelihood of dying from their illnesses than women in richer nations. Perhaps a bit ironically, some of the cancers in the lower-income countries used to be prevalent only in higher-income ones, but as the poorer countries started going through "rapid economic transition," the women there began experiencing risk factors like their more affluent counterparts, including "physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, obesity, and reproductive factors" like putting off having kids, per an ACS VP. "The global community cannot continue to ignore the problem—hundreds of thousands of women are dying unnecessarily every year," Richard Sullivan, co-author of the Lancet report, says in the release. (Good news on the pancreatic cancer front.)