World Cancer Leaders' Summit 2023 – Cancer control in a changing world

The World Cancer Leaders' Summit saw some 350 leaders from 72 countries convening in Long Beach, CA to attend sessions covering a gamut of pressing issues: from inequities in cancer care  and the impact of climate change and crisis situations on cancer care, to gender inequities, childhood cancer and disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence in diagnosis and mRNA vaccines. Additional topics such as antimicrobial resistance and the obesity epidemic were also on the agenda. 

The event began on Monday 16 October with two breakfast sessions touching on the important issues of removing obstacles to breast cancer care in Latin America and innovations in early detection. These were followed by a moving speech by UICC President Jeff Dunn, who shared his own experience as a cancer patient and emphasised the unique nature of the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit as an invaluable space for making connections and establishing partnerships. 

The theme of this summit, ‘Cancer in a changing world’ was deliberately designed to capture the big global challenges that the cancer community and wider health community face.  

Over the course of two days, experts, policymakers, doctors, researchers and patients at the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit discussed the impact on cancer patients of natural disasters and air pollution, emphasised the need to ensure the continued delivery of cancer services in crisis situations, highlighted the need for responsible antibiotic use and new medicines to counter drug resistance, and examined growing obesity rates and the link between obesity and cancer and other non-communicable diseases.  

They also offered an exciting picture of the future of cancer care based on recent advances in medicines such as AI, mRNA vaccines, immunotherapy and multi-cancer early detection. Conscious that these emerging technologies may be seen as benefiting mainly patients in high-income countries, speakers and participants at the Summit emphasised that they also have the potential to address gaps in resources and expertise, improve access to diagnosis, treatment and care for underserved populations, and help close the gaps in access to quality cancer care due to gender, geographical location and socioeconomic condition. 

“It's been a fantastic two days. When I talk to people who have been here in Long Beach with us, what do I get? What's the feeling? For me, I get a sense of guarded optimism disguised as hope. Notwithstanding the challenges, we are optimistic, we know what is ahead of us.Together, we can be part of the solution.” 
– Prof. Jeff Dunn AO, President of UICC 

UICC would particularly like to thank all of its partners for their contributions in making the Summit such a great success and looks forward to seeing them at the World Cancer Congress in 2024.

UICC President-elect Ulrika Årehed Kågström announced that the next World Cancer Leaders' Summit would take place on 18-20 November 2025 in Melbourne, Australia.

See photos of the event