Leading cancer scientists have signed a charter calling for international co-operation in the worldwide battle against cancer.

The signing of the "Paris Charter" was the highlight of an international summit in the city.

French president Jacques Chirac is one of the attendees, and he described beating cancer as one of the "greatest challenges" facing science.

At the signing ceremony today Mr Chirac said cancer could no longer be treated the way it was 20 years ago.

"Only by harnessing all of our knowledge can it be encircled, contained, mastered, rolled back and defeated," he said.

It calls for February 4 to be dubbed "World Cancer Day" to increase awareness of patients' rights and research.

The UK delegation includes Professor Gordon McVie, Director General of the Cancer Research Campaign, who called for cancer funding to be reviewed.

He said: "This summit and the creation of World Cancer Day is a major step in the fight to banish the stigma often associated with cancer and to globalise the struggle against it.

"Given the tremendous number of people affected by cancer, spending in this country and in other parts of Europe is disproportionately low compared to other illnesses."

According to figures collated in 1990, there are approximately eight million new cancers diagnosed worldwide each year.

More than five million die each year, many because there is little access in some countries to the best therapies.

Cancer on the rise

The rate is increasing, and experts estimate that by 2020 there will be 20 million new cases a year.

The World Health Organisation believes that the 70% of these will live in countries who, between them command only one in 20 pounds spent worldwide on cancer.

In the UK, although the number of new diagnoses is increasing year by year, survival rates have more than matched the increase, because of improved drugs and earlier detection of certain types of cancer.

The charter, the first of its type applied to cancer patients, urges doctors to attempt to close the gaps in treatment between rich and poor countries, strengthening cooperation between scientists in different countries.

Other pledges are aimed at improving the quality of life of patients, and reducing the social stigma they often suffer.

The authors of the charter hope that one million people around the globe will sign up to its principles over the next year.

US First Lady Hillary Clinton is delivering a message to the summit via a video link.

Cancer Research Campaign regional director Bill McKinlay, said: "As a former cancer patient, I strongly believe that we should all do everything in our power to help influence the unacceptable quality of treatment for cancer patients in this country."