Global health leaders convened at UICC’s World Cancer Leaders’ Summit to discuss equity, innovation, and implementation

Over 400 healthcare professionals, cancer advocates, and government representatives from 55 countries gathered in Melbourne on 18–20 November at UICC’s World Cancer Leaders’ Summit to address the critical gaps hindering progress in cancer prevention, diagnostics, treatment, and how to close them.

A recurrent theme was mobilising the political will to invest in cancer, as a human, public health, and financial imperative. The costs of inaction are greater than the costs of action,” said Dr Elisabete Weiderpass, Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). “Direct healthcare spending and lost productivity due to premature cancer deaths cost the world USD 566 billion in 2022, equivalent to 0.6% of global GDP.”

Moving between high-level plenary discussions, focused sessions, more intimate spotlight interviews, and informal conversations throughout the venue, participants were discussing solutions – how governments, civil society, the private sector, and multilateral organisations can work together to generate and use evidence, and turn commitments into sustained delivery.

Topics ranged from Indigenous-led care models to the design of responsive public health policy, with several sessions examining how novel diagnostics, artificial intelligence, and modern cancer medicines are transforming outcomes in some settings – while remaining out of reach for much of the world’s population.

Across many discussions, the emphasis remained on practical, people-centred approaches to expand access to early detection and quality treatment, and to ensure that care is affordable, equitable, and aligned with the lived experience of people with cancer, their families, and caregivers.

Several panels underscored the importance of tailoring solutions to context. In a dynamic session on cancer care in Indigenous communities, panellists from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand shared strategies to build culturally safe, community-driven cancer services.

“Targeted actions can yield results,” said Rami Rahal, Tumuaki, Chief Executive and National Director, of Te Aho o Te Kahu – Cancer Control Agency New Zealand. “By adapting care to the specific needs and contexts of Indigenous populations, we’ve seen the disparity in cancer mortality between Māori and European New Zealanders drop from 1.9 to 1.6 times.”

The challenge of access also featured in discussions on women’s cancer, notably breast and cervical, which are projected to rise significantly by 2050, primarily in low-resource settings. Speakers highlighted the urgency of investing in health system readiness and taking a comprehensive approach to prevention, screening, and treatment.

“Affordable diagnostics remain a critical barrier. Every woman, regardless of where she lives, should have access to tests that match the quality of those available in high-income settings said Marion Saville, Executive Director, Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer (ACPCC). “These tests must be cost-effective, suitable for self-collection, and functional in point-of-care environments.”

"Focusing only on screening numbers and test costs is not enough. If women who test positive are not guided,” added Dr Kathleen Schmeler, MD, Professor of Global Oncology at MD Anderson. “Patient navigation and provider training are essential to ensure timely access to care."

A dedicated workshop during the Summit convened implementers, advocates, and frontline workers to share practical lessons for expanding HPV vaccination, including how to reach out-of-school girls, counter misinformation, and build trust through local partnerships.

Lung cancer – the world’s leading cause of cancer death and another key strategic priority for UICC – was the focus of a dedicated session that explored how tobacco control, early detection, and equitable access to treatment can be more firmly integrated into national and global health agendas. Speakers pointed to the importance of making lung cancer a public health priority, noting that it accounts for 1 in 5 cancer deaths globally, yet remains under-addressed in many countries.

Sessions also explored new technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence in early diagnosis. Prof. Victoria Mar shared developments from Australia’s melanoma screening programme using 3D imaging and AI to enable more precise risk stratification and earlier detection. “This is about giving clinicians new tools, but also understanding how technology fits into systems of care,” she said.

Further sessions examined how to strengthen multilateral cooperation and financing for cancer control, elevate cancer within broader non-communicable disease agendas, and ensure that care systems are grounded in the lived experience of people with cancer.

Participants also engaged in broader conversations on how health systems can respond to intersecting global challenges. A side event organised by the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer, which recently secured renewed core funding of AUD 1.1 million from the Australian Government, explored how to turn global commitments on noncommunicable diseases and mental health into regional action, particularly in the context of climate change, youth engagement, and community-led approaches.

It was particularly relevant in this context, therefore, that UICC launched the World Cancer Declaration 2025–2035, a global framework to reduce the burden of cancer over the next decade. The Declaration sets out five global targets, including a 25% reduction in cancer mortality, and a commitment to integrate essential cancer services into universal health coverage packages.

Australia’s Minister for Health and Ageing, Hon. Mark Butler MP, addressed global challenges in cancer at a keynote on the second day of the Summit, highlighting national efforts to improve early detection, reduce risk factors such as tobacco use, and make cancer care more responsive to people’s needs.

Most importantly perhaps, for many participants, was the sense of community and shared purpose that they felt, and which provided them with energy and inspiration to pursue their work.

“In these challenging times for my country,” said Inesa Guivaniuk, Executive Director of Global Medical Knowledge Alliance (GMKA) Ukraine, “it’s inspiring to be part of this amazing community. I will gather your advice and ideas and use them to help rebuild our country. Thank you for this incredible experience.”

“We are sincerely grateful to our hosts, co-hosts, and partners, for making this year’s World Cancer Leaders’ Summit possible. The active engagement and leadership of all those who joined us in Melbourne made it particularly meaningful, as it marks a milestone with the release of the World Cancer Declaration. We hope the experience offered valuable opportunities for dialogue, networking and exchange.”
– Cary Adams, CEO of UICC

The next World Cancer Leaders’ Summit will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, 24-28 November 2027. UICC will be convening the global cancer community again next year in Hong Kong, 22-24 September, at the World Cancer Congress.

View the photo gallery of the World Cancer Leaders' Summit 2025