Hard on its heels came the launch of UICC's World Cancer Campaign, focusing initially on cancer in children.

Later in the year, WHO published a path-breaking report on the challenge of cancer and other chronic diseases - such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes - even in countries where historically chronic disease has been a low public health priority.

In these and many other ways, the world in 2005 recognized that preventing and controlling cancer is not a luxury for the rich - whether rich individuals or rich societies. It is a vital challenge facing us all.