Cancer

In Canada over the past fifteen years, there has been a 39% rise in new cancer patients, necessitating the expansion of current oncological facilities. The population is getting older and larger, which in turn is translating into more cases of cancer. Other reports projecting cancer growth across different countries found similar results. With the prevalence of cancer expected to increase in the future, it is important to properly allocate resources towards cancer research to better serve the population. Patients with cancer continue to live longer; as such, more elderly individuals will live with cancer. In fact, cancer has been classified as a chronic illness alongside diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. This may translate to an increased demand for oncologists, specialist-trained nurses, diagnostic services, cancer centres, cancer therapies and palliative care. More importantly, this will translate to an increased necessity for cancer research to decrease the mortality and morbidity associated with cancer while improving the quality of care.