Prevention offers the greatest public health potential and the most cost-effective long-term cancer control strategy. However, with today’s multiple media streams, the general public is often overwhelmed by an abundance of confusing or ambiguous messages and misinformation on disease prevention. Therefore, authoritative, clear, and evidence-based recommendations on how to actively contribute to cancer prevention are extremely valuable for the general public and equally valuable for health professionals and policy-makers worldwide. 

The World Code Against Cancer Framework is a strategic framework with a two-level hierarchical mechanism: (1) it harmonizes common principles, governance, a rigorous methodology, and work processes to systematically review and synthesize the latest scientific insights to promote cancer prevention globally; and (2) it assesses the epidemiological, socioeconomic, and cultural conditions and the health systems context of a given region of the world, to inform decision-making at the individual and system levels, implemented through Regional Codes Against Cancer.

The World Code Against Cancer Framework is a flagship programme of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).