16 October 2024
IARC Handbooks Volume 20A: Reduction or Cessation of Alcoholic Beverage Consumption now available in print
The IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention programme is pleased to announce that IARC Handbooks Volume 20A is now available for sale in print format. The book is also available for free download in PDF format. Volume 20A provides evidence-based evaluations of the effectiveness of reduction or cessation of alcoholic beverage consumption in reducing risk of alcohol-related cancers.
View IARC Handbooks Volume 20A
9 October 2024
Global burden of oral cancer attributable to smokeless tobacco and areca nut use
A new study, published in The Lancet Oncology, has evaluated the global burden of oral cancer in 2022 attributable to use of smokeless tobacco and areca nut, which are both classified by the IARC Monographs as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). The study also analysed the burden of oral cancer associated with specific smokeless tobacco and areca nut products in four countries that are major consumers of smokeless tobacco or areca nut and had the highest oral cancer incidence rates worldwide in 2022.
The study was conducted as a supplemental project to IARC Handbooks Volume 19 on Oral Cancer Prevention; the Working Group for Volume 19 called for an assessment of the burden of oral cancer attributable to consumption of smokeless tobacco or areca nut products. The study used estimates of the increased risk of oral cancer due to use of smokeless tobacco or areca nut from epidemiological studies identified by the IARC Monographs and updated in the more recent IARC Handbooks Volume 19.
Read the article
Read the IARC press release
20 August 2024
New review of IARC Handbooks Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention
A new review of IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention has been published in the journal Dental and Medical Problems.
Read the book review
4 July 2024
IARC Handbooks Volume 20A: Reduction or Cessation of Alcoholic Beverage Consumption
We are pleased to announce that IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 20A is now available online. This volume provides evidence-based evaluations of the effectiveness of reduction or cessation of alcoholic beverage consumption in reducing risk of alcohol-related cancers. The book is available for free download in PDF format. The print version will be available later.
View IARC Handbooks Volume 20A
31 May 2024
IARC Handbooks Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention now available in print
The IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention programme is pleased to announce that IARC Handbooks Volume 19 is now available for sale in print format. The book is also available for free download in PDF format. Volume 19 contains the detailed assessments of primary and secondary preventive interventions in reducing the incidence of and mortality from oral cancer.
View IARC Handbooks Volume 19
28 May 2024
Subgroup sessions for IARC Handbooks Volume 20B: Alcohol Control Policies
The Subgroup sessions for IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 20B: Alcohol Control Policies will take place remotely on 3–14 June 2024. In the Subgroup sessions, the Working Group members, together with members of the IARC/WHO Secretariat, will review all the texts they have drafted so far according to the outline of the future IARC Handbooks Volume 20B. The Subgroup sessions are the preparatory phase before the plenary sessions, which will be held at IARC in October 2024, when the Working Group will develop the evaluations.
For more information, please see Upcoming Meetings.
14 May 2024
Reviews of IARC Handbooks Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention
Reviews of IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention have been published in the Indian Journal of Cancer and the Gulf Journal of Oncology.
Read the book reviews
26 March 2024
IARC Handbooks Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening now available on Bookshelf
The IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention programme is pleased to announce that IARC Handbooks Volume 18 is now available on the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Bookshelf. The book is also available for free download in PDF format and for sale in print format. Volume 18 contains the detailed assessments of the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening in reducing cervical cancer incidence and mortality.
View IARC Handbooks Volume 18 on Bookshelf
View IARC Handbooks Volume 18 in other formats
6 February 2024
IARC Handbooks programme celebrates grant award from WHO Regional Office for Europe
The IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention programme is pleased to announce that it has been selected to receive a grant from the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, in Copenhagen, Denmark. The IARC Handbooks programme is grateful for this generous award, which will provide support for Handbooks Volume 20B: Alcohol Control Policies.
2 January 2024
IARC Handbooks Volume 20A: Reduction or Cessation of Alcoholic Beverage Consumption
A summary of the evaluations made during this meeting has now been published in The New England Journal of Medicine as “The IARC perspective on alcohol reduction or cessation and cancer risk”. The detailed assessments will be published as Volume 20A of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention.
A new list of evaluations has been posted.
Read the article, Read the Q&A
View the infographic.
29 November 2023
IARC Handbooks Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention
We are pleased to announce that IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 19 is now available online. This volume brings together, for the first time, all the available evidence related to primary and secondary prevention of oral cancer. The book is available for free download in PDF format. The print version will be available later. View IARC Handbooks Volume 19.
13 November 2023
Scoping meeting for IARC Handbooks Volume 20B: Alcohol Control Policies
The IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention programme is holding a scoping meeting for Volume 20B: Alcohol Control Policies this week (14–16 November 2023). In the scoping meeting, five international experts, together with members of the IARC/WHO Secretariat, are providing input to help define the scope of this volume of the IARC Handbooks, which will provide a first-time evaluation of alcohol control policies. The Working Group meeting for this volume will take place in October 2024.
19 September 2023
IARC Handbooks Volume 20B: Alcohol Control Policies
We are pleased to announce that the meeting for IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 20B: Alcohol Control Policies will take place on 7-11 October 2024. For more information, please see Upcoming Meetings.
18 October 2022
IARC Handbooks Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention
A summary of the evaluations made during this meeting has now been published in The New England Journal of Medicine as “The IARC perspective on oral cancer prevention”. The detailed assessments will be published as Volume 19 of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention.
A new list of evaluations has been posted.
Read the article, Read the IARC Press Release
View the infographic
12 October 2022
IARC Handbooks Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening
We are pleased to announce that IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 18 is now available for sale in print format. The book is also available for free download in PDF format. Volume 18 contains the detailed assessments of the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening in reducing cervical cancer incidence and mortality. View IARC Handbooks Volume 18
31 May 2022
IARC Handbooks programme celebrates CDC grant award
The IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention programme is pleased to announce that it has been selected to receive a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. The IARC Handbooks programme is grateful to CDC for this generous award, which will provide support over a 5-year period for evidence-based evaluations of primary and secondary cancer prevention approaches.
19 May 2022
IARC Handbooks Volume 20: Reduction of Alcohol Consumption
We are pleased to announce that the meeting for IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 20: Reduction of Alcohol Consumption will take place on 22-26 May 2023. For more information, please see Recent Meetings
3 May 2022
IARC Handbooks Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening
We are pleased to announce that IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 18 is now available online. The volume contains the detailed assessments of the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening in reducing cervical cancer incidence and mortality. The book is available for free download in PDF format. The print version will be available later this year.
View IARC Handbooks Volume 18
1 December 2021
Presentation at IPVC 2021 about IARC Handbooks Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening
Dr Béatrice Lauby-Secretan, head of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention programme, presented the assessments of IARC Handbooks Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening at the 34th International Papillomavirus Conference (IPVC 2021) on 18 November 2021.
Watch the recording
11 November 2021
IARC Handbooks – Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening
A summary of the evaluations made during this meeting has now been published in The New England Journal of Medicine as "The IARC perspective on cervical cancer screening". The detailed assessments will be published as Volume 18 of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention.
A new list of evaluations has been posted.
Read the article, read the IARC Press Release
Read the Q&A, view the infographic
6 July 2021
Launch of new WHO guidelines for screening and treatment to prevent cervical cancer
A webinar organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) is being held today to launch the updated WHO guidance for screening and treatment of cervical pre-cancer lesions. The webinar is titled "Reaching the 2030 targets for cervical cancer elimination: new WHO recommendations for screening and treatment". These new WHO guidelines are based in part on the consensus evaluations of the Working Group for IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening. Dr Béatrice Lauby-Secretan, Head of the IARC Handbooks programme, will make a presentation during the webinar.
25 February 2021
Scoping meeting for IARC Handbooks Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention
The IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention programme is holding a scoping meeting for Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention this week (23–26 February 2021). In the scoping meeting, seven international experts, together with members of the IARC/WHO Secretariat, are providing input to help define the scope of this volume of the IARC Handbooks, which will provide a first-time evaluation of primary and secondary prevention of oral cancer. The Working Group meeting for this volume will take place in December 2021.
16 December 2020
IARC Handbooks – Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention
We are pleased to announce that the meeting for the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention will take place on 9–14 December 2021. Read more.
17 November 2020
IARC Handbooks – Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention
The IARC Handbooks programme is pleased to announce the meeting for IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 19: Oral Cancer Prevention, which will take place in November–December 2021.
Oral cancer is highly prevalent in South-East Asia and is linked to the habit of chewing smokeless tobacco products and betel quid/areca nut. The IARC Handbooks programme will provide a first-time evaluation of primary and secondary prevention of oral cancer, including the benefit of quitting chewing in reducing oral cancer incidence, and possibly mortality, as well as the efficacy and effectiveness of current screening methods; the implementation of bans on sale and other policies may also be evaluated.
This volume of the IARC Handbooks will play a major role in the regulation of smokeless tobacco in the South-East Asia region and will help fight a major public health problem. In addition, it will fit into the World Health Organization (WHO) mission of tobacco control, feeding into the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), as well as into IARC's mission to serve low- and middle-income countries. Read more.
30 September 2020
Meeting for IARC Handbooks Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening to be held remotely
Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the meeting for the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 18 will be held remotely on 12–16 October 2020. Following two sets of Subgroup sessions, held in June and September, the Working Group will meet in plenary sessions to review the Subgroup drafts and develop the consensus evaluations. Read more.
3 April 2020
Postponement of meeting for IARC Handbooks – Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening
The meeting for the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 18, which was scheduled to take place on 23-30 June 2020, has been postponed to 12-16 October 2020. Read more.
21 February 2020
Instructions to Authors for IARC Handbooks – Screening
We are pleased to announce that the Instructions for Authors for the Preparation of Drafts for the IARC Handbooks – Screening are now available online. Read more
18 December 2019
Report of the Advisory Group to Recommend an Update to the Preamble to the IARC Handbooks
We are pleased to announce that the Report of the Advisory Group is now available online. Read more.
11 October 2019
Revised Preambles to the IARC Handbooks
We are pleased to announce that the revised Preambles to the IARC Handbooks are now available online. Read more.
24 September 2019
IARC Handbooks - Volume 18: Cervical Cancer Screening
We are pleased to announce the meeting for the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 18, which will take place on 23-30 June 2020. Read more.
3 June 2019
IARC Handbooks - Volume 17: Colorectal Cancer Screening
We are pleased to announce that the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 17 is now available online. The volume contains the detailed assessments of the effectiveness of colorectal cancer screening in reducing colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. The book is available for free download in PDF format. The print version will be available for purchase later this year. Visit website.
17 December 2018
Update to the Working Procedures - Call for Public Comments
The closing date for public comments on the current Working Procedures of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention, for primary interventions and for screening, for consideration by the Advisory Group to Recommend an Update to the Working Procedures has been extended to 20 January 2019. For further details, see Call for Public Comments.
26 November 2018
Update to the Working Procedures - Call for Public Comments
IARC is interested in public comments on the current Working Procedures of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention, for primary interventions and for screening, for consideration by the Advisory Group to Recommend an Update to the Working Procedures. The closing date is 9 December 2018. For further details, see Call for Public Comments.
10 October 2018
IARC Handbooks Volume 16: Absence of Excess Body Fatness
We are pleased to announce that the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 16 is now available online. The volume contains the detailed assessments of the cancer-preventive effects of the absence of excess body fatness. The book is available for free download in PDF format. The print version will be available for purchase later this year.
13 June 2018
Q&A on Advisory Group to Recommend an Update to the Working Procedures
We are pleased to announce that a Q&A document relating to the Advisory Group to Recommend an Update to the Working Procedures is now available online. The Call for Public Comments is now open, and comments should be submitted using the Public Comments Form.
11 May 2018
Advisory Group to Recommend an Update to the Working Procedures
In 2019, IARC will amend the Working Procedures of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention. The Working Procedures describe the principles and procedures used in developing IARC Handbooks, including the scientific criteria that guide the evaluations. The objective is to convene an international group of experts to reflect on the scientific developments and procedural changes that have occurred in the fields of primary and secondary prevention, and establish strong guidance for future Handbooks. For details, please see Upcoming Meetings.
27 March 2018
IARC Handbooks Volume 17: Colorectal cancer screening
A summary of the evaluations made during this meeting has now been published in The New England Journal of Medicine as "The IARC perspective on colorectal cancer screening". The detailed assessments will be published as Volume 17 of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention. A new table of evaluations has been posted.
Read more
Read article, Read IARC Press Release
Read the Q&A on the Handbooks Volume 17 evaluations
28 October 2016
IARC Handbooks Volume 17: Colorectal cancer screening
We are pleased to announce the meeting for the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 17, which will take place on 14-21 November 2017.
Visit the IARC Publications website.
For more information, please see Upcoming Meetings.
14 October 2016
IARC Handbooks Volume 15: Breast Cancer Screening
We are pleased to announce that Volume 15: Breast Cancer Screening of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention series is now also available for purchase in print, PDF, and EPUB formats. The volume contains the detailed assessments of the cancer-preventive and adverse effects of different methods of screening for breast cancer.
25 August 2016
IARC Handbooks Volume 16: Body Fatness
A summary of the evaluations made during this meeting has now been published in The New England Journal of Medicine as "Body fatness - viewpoint of the IARC Working Group". The detailed assessments will be published as Volume 16 of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention.
The list of evaluation for cancer-preventive chemicals and activities has been updated.
Read more
Read article, Read IARC Press Release
Read the Q&A on the Handbooks Volume 16 evaluations.
1 July 2016
IARC Handbooks Volume 15: Breast Cancer Screening
We are pleased to announce that Volume 15: Breast Cancer Screening of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention series is now available for purchase in PDF format. The volume contains the detailed assessments of the cancer-preventive and adverse effects of different methods of screening for breast cancer. This book will also be available for purchase in print and EPUB formats later this year.
29 January 2016
IARC Handbooks Volume 15: Breast Cancer Screening
A French translation of the article "Breast Cancer Screening - viewpoint of the IARC Working Group" published in the New England Journal of Medicine in June 2015 is now available (hosted by Centre Léon Bérard).
Visit the IARC Publications website
Read article
8 September 2015
IARC Handbooks Volume 15: Breast Cancer Screening
The IARC Handbooks website has been updated with a table of evaluations and a poster presenting the outcomes of IARC Handbooks Volume 15: Breast Cancer Screening.
Visit the IARC Publications website
4 June 2015
IARC Handbooks Volume 15: Breast Cancer Screening
A summary of the evaluations made during this meeting has now been published in The New England Journal of Medicine as "Breast-cancer screening - viewpoint of the IARC Working Group". The detailed assessments will be published as Volume 15 of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention.
Visit the IARC Publications website
Read article, Read IARC Press Release
22 April 2015
IARC Handbooks Volume 16: Weight Control
IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention Volume 16 is announced. For more information, please see Upcoming Meetings.
Read more
11 March 2014
Relaunch of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention
The IARC Monographs programme is proud to announce the relaunch of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention. The IARC Handbooks programme was launched in 1995 to complement the IARC Monographs by providing evaluations of approaches to cancer prevention. The first 14 volumes evaluated the cancer-preventive activity of chemopreventive agents and of preventive actions, the effectiveness of screening, and the effectiveness of tobacco control.
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