IARC co-hosts side event at first WHO global oral health meeting

Scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) co-hosted a side event on oral cancer prevention and early detection during the World Health Organization (WHO) global oral health meeting, which was held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 26–29 November 2024. This was the first-ever global oral health meeting organized by WHO, and the aim was for delegates from more than 110 countries to produce national roadmaps and negotiate a joint declaration on oral health.

The side event, organized by IARC and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Oral Health Education and Research at Mahidol University, Thailand, was titled “Preventing Oral Cancer: A Collaborative Global Approach to Early Detection and Risk Reduction”. Participants discussed strategies for oral cancer awareness; prevention of use of tobacco in all forms, areca nut use, alcohol consumption, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection; and how to achieve early detection worldwide.

The event helped to generate a deeper understanding of the global burden of oral cancer and of the best practices for prevention, as well as actionable strategies enabling oral health professionals to integrate oral cancer prevention into their daily practice.

Oral cancer is a major global health concern; more than 350 000 people are diagnosed with oral cancer annually. Despite its low survival rate, oral cancer is largely preventable by reducing exposure to major risk factors and improving early detection. The most recent volumes of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention series, Volume 19 on Oral Cancer Prevention and Volume 20A on Reduction or Cessation of Alcoholic Beverage Consumption, are important freely available resources for stakeholders interested in addressing the burden of oral cancer.

View IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 19 on Oral Cancer Prevention 

View IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 20A on Reduction or Cessation of Alcoholic Beverage Consumption