New report from Global Action on Men’s Health

Men often “go missing” in global cancer policy, says a new report from Global Action on Men’s Health, which points out that global cancer incidence rates are 19% higher—and mortality rates 43% higher—among men than women.

“The problem of cancer in men remains underfunded and underrepresented in global cancer research, advocacy, and policy initiatives,” says the report. “The result is a significant disparity in access to prevention, early detection, and effective treatment options, leading to a higher burden of cancer morbidity and mortality among men.”

The report reviews 28 key global and regional cancer-related policy documents, and concludes that needs, preferences, and experiences of men specifically are not sufficiently addressed.  Simply including sex-disaggregated data when reporting key cancer and cancer control outcomes would be a step forward, it says.

“Unfortunately, most of the documents reviewed for this report offered no sex-disaggregated data at all, and many of those that did offered disaggregated information on just a few outcomes and with little further interpretation.”

The authors conclude that the growing number of countries developing national men’s health policies represents a critical opportunity for men’s health advocates to coordinate, share resources, ideas and momentum, and develop better integrated interventions for men’s health which will have benefits on cancer outcomes.