Still “a long way to go” in cancer research
Swiss Award winner and cancer specialist Giorgio Noseda has called for increased funding for cancer prevention and research in Switzerland.
In an interview with swissinfo to mark World Cancer Day, the former president of Oncosuisse – Swiss Federation against Cancer – considers the successes and new challenges in the war against cancer.
In January, Giorgio Noseda was named “Swiss Personality of the Year”, in the society category of the Swiss Award, for his long and intense commitment to the fight against cancer.
After standing down at the end of 2006 from the presidency of Oncosuisse – a federation of the principal organisations active in preventing cancer, supporting cancer sufferers and promoting research – the doctor from the Italian-speaking Ticino region now intends to devote himself to the creation of a national tumours register.
swissinfo: What does the Swiss Award mean to you?
Giorgio Noseda: It is recognition of my work. But I believe that the organisers of this award wanted to turn the spotlight on cancer and raise public awareness of the importance of combating this disease, which still requires an enormous commitment.
The award should therefore also be seen as recognition of the contribution made by those who have worked alongside me.
swissinfo: Do those who commit themselves to helping and supporting others receive enough recognition in a world in which film stars and sports personalities get all the glory?
G.N.: Swiss society relies on the immense amount of socially useful work done by many people, often in silence and behind the scenes. In the fight against cancer, for example, the role of volunteers is extremely important. Our society would begin to break down without their commitment.
swissinfo: Why did you recently stand down from the presidency of Oncosuisse and Foundation Cancer Research Switzerland, two organisations which you yourself promoted?
G.N.: I feel it’s right to be open to new challenges and new projects. It was time to hand over the helm to someone else. In my 20 years of commitment to fighting cancer, I have travelled between 300,000 and 400,000 kilometres – ten times round the Earth.
swissinfo: How would you assess the results of such intense activity?
G.N.: I think I have achieved two basic objectives. First of all, I have managed to bring together the principal organisations and institutions fighting cancer in Switzerland under the umbrella of Oncosuisse.
The health authorities asked us to formulate a national programme to combat cancer. This document, published last year, is the basis for a new strategy in the battle against cancer in Switzerland.
On our recommendation, for example, the interior ministry has decided that health insurance companies should pay for post-menopausal women to have a mammogram every two years. We are also preparing federal legislation on the prevention of cancer and other diseases.
swissinfo: What was the second objective?
G.N.: The creation of Foundation Cancer Research Switzerland, the purpose of which is to raise funds for innovative research projects.
On average, this Foundation raises between SFr16-17 million ($12.9-13.7 million) each year. So far we have raised a total of more than SFr80 million, and subsidised 450 research projects.
swissinfo: What has Swiss cancer research achieved? And how does it compare internationally?
G.N.: We still have a long way to go. A recent analysis showed that Switzerland is not among the leaders in research funding. We rank only eleventh in Europe, with €2.3 per person per year. Britain, France and Germany allocate twice as much per head.
There is plenty of room for improvement, even though Switzerland is among the world leaders in terms of research results and the actual treatment of cancer patients.
swissinfo: Despite the great efforts made by researchers, it appears that progress in the battle against cancer appears to is very slow. In Switzerland, one in four people die from this disease.
G.N.: That is true. But overall the death rate from cancer has fallen, largely as a result of improvements in treatment. We have also seen an increase in different forms of cancer.
Switzerland must do all it can to improve its position. There is still a lot to be done in the field of prevention. There is a lack of public funding for prevention work, and the insurance refuses to pay for many early diagnostic tests.
swissinfo: Responsibility for combating cancer lies with the cantons in Switzerland and there is no national tumours register. Why this lack of a united approach?
G.N.: As far as a tumours database is concerned, we are indeed a long way behind other European countries and the United States. At present, only about ten of the 26 cantons keep registers, together covering roughly 55 per cent of the population.
The project I am currently engaged on is to set up a national epidemiological research institute for cancer. I hope to be able to announce the establishment of this institute next spring.
swissinfo, Françoise Gehring in Mendrisio
After cardiovascular diseases, cancer accounts for the second highest number of deaths in Switzerland; 28% of men and 22% of women die from the disease.
Every year, 31,000 new cases of cancer are recorded in Switzerland, and 15,000 cancer-related deaths.
Worldwide, cancer kills 11 million people each year (12.5% of all deaths).
Founded in 1999, Oncosuisse is a federation of the main institutions fighting cancer in Switzerland: the Swiss Institute of Applied Cancer Research, the Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, and the Swiss Cancer League.
Oncosuisse manages and coordinates cancer research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment activities.
The federation is supported in this mission by donations made to Foundation Cancer Research Switzerland.
Born in 1938, Giorgio Noseda studied medicine at Bern University, specialising in cardiology and internal medicine.
A consultant in cardiology and internal medicine, first at the Beata Vergine Hospital in Mendrisio then at the Ospedale Civico in Lugano, he was also professor of medicine at Bern University.
The doctor from Ticino has also been president of the Swiss Cancer League (1989-1992), Foundation Cancer Research Switzerland (1990-2006) and Oncosuisse (1999-2006). He is still president of the Bellinzona Biomedical Research Institute (since 2000).
Noseda is also engaged in setting up a national epidemiological research institute for cancer, the purpose of which will be to study the risk factors and incidence of cancer in Switzerland, and Biobank Suisse, a foundation tasked with promoting research and building an archive of data and study materials for human medicine.
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