World Cancer Day

What is World Cancer Day?

• World Cancer Day every 4 February is the global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control(UICC).
• Created in 2000, World Cancer Day has grown into a positive movement for everyone, everywhere to unite under one voice to face one of our greatest challenges in history.
• Each year, hundreds of activities and events take place around the world,
• gathering communities, organisations and individuals

• in schools, businesses, hospitals, marketplaces, parks, community halls, places of worship - in the streets and online –
• acting as a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in reducing the global impact of cancer.

Aim

By raising worldwide awareness, improving education and catalysing personal, collective and government action, we're working together to reimagine a world where millions of preventable cancer deaths are saved and access to life - saving cancer treatment and care is equal for all - no matter who you are or where you live. 

“I Am and I Will”

• This year's World Cancer Day's theme.
• It is all about us and our commitment to act.
• Through our positive actions, together we can reach the target of reducing the number of premature deaths from cancer by one third by 2030.

How Cancer affect our world?

• The total economic global cost of cancer is 1.16 USD trillion.
• Every year 9.6 million die from Cancer
• Around 70% of all cancer deaths occur in the least developed parts of the world

Fast Fact

By investing 11USD billion in prevention strategies in low- to middle-income countries, this could potentially save 100USD billion in cancer treatment costs.

What can we do?

• As an individual, we can teach ourselves, the people we love and our communities about the common signs and symptoms.
• Healthcare professionals need to understand the signs and symptoms to avoid misdiagnosis and understand and encourage the value of early detection in their patients.
• Policy makers have a critical role to play. Governments can develop strategies to increase awareness and education and integrate early detection and screening into national health systems.

What is cancer ?

• Cancer is a disease which occurs when changes in a group of normal cells within the body lead to uncontrolled, abnormal growth forming a lump called a tumor; this is true of all cancers except leukemia (cancer of the blood).
• If left untreated, tumours can:
• grow and spread into the surrounding normal tissue, or to other parts of the body via the bloodstream and lymphatic systems,
• and can affect the digestive, nervous, skeletal, respiratory and circulatory systems,
• or release hormones that may affect body function.

General risk factors

• Older age.
• A personal or family history of cancer.
• Using tobacco.
• Some types of viral infections.
• Specific chemicals.
• Exposure to radiation, including ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Fast Fact

Smoking is linked to 71% of lung cancer deaths, and accounts for at least 22% of all cancer deaths.

Cancer risk reduction

• Not every type of cancer is preventable but we do know we can prevent many cancers through lifestyle choices alone.
• According to the World Health Organization, at least one third of common cancers are preventable through a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active.
• What to Do?
• Choose healthy food.
• Quit smoking.
• Cut down on alcohol.
• Be sunsmart and stay away from solariums.
• Avoid pollutants and chemicals (including asbestos, pesticides and containers containing BPA)
• Get Vaccinated. (Human Papilloma Virus, Hepatitis B virus)
• Know the signs and symptoms.
• Know yourself, your family history, and your risks.
• Get regular check-ups and cancer screening tests.

Fast Fact

A recent UK study found that for eight common cancers

1. bladder
2. bowel
3. breast
4. cervical
5. uterus
6. malignant melanoma
7. ovarian
8. testicular cancers

survival is three times higher when diagnosed early

Early detection of cancer

• Early detection is important because when abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat.
• By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread and be harder to treat.
• Screening tests are used to find cancer before a person has any symptoms.
• Several screening tests have been shown to detect cancer early and to reduce the chance of dying from that cancer.

Breast cancer

• Women ages 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms (x-rays of the breast) if they wish to do so.
• Women age 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
• Women 55 and older should switch to mammograms every 2 years or can continue yearly screening.
• Women should also know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any breast changes to a health care provider right away.
• Some women – because of their family history, a genetic tendency, or certain other factors – should be screened with MRIs along with mammograms.

Colon and rectal cancer and polyps

• For people at average risk for colorectal cancer, starting regular screening at age 45.
• This can be done either with a sensitive test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool (a stool-based test) every year,
• or with an exam that looks at the colon and rectum (a visual exam) every 3 to 5 years.
• No matter which test you choose, the most important thing is to get screened.
• People over 85 should no longer get colorectal cancer screening.
• If you choose to be screened with a test other than colonoscopy, any abnormal test result needs to be followed up with a colonoscopy.

Lung cancer

• Yearly lung cancer screening is recommended with a low-dose CT scan (LDCT) for certain people at higher risk for lung cancer who meet the following conditions:
• Are aged 55 to 74 years and in fairly good health
• and
• Currently smoke or have quit smoking in the past 15 years
• and
• Have at least a 30 pack-year smoking history. (A pack-year is 1 pack of cigarettes per day per year. One pack per day for 30 years or 2 packs per day for 15 years would both be 30 pack-years.)

Take home message

• Early detection and screening save lives.
• Reaching this goal in our community, will need our maximum effort to spread knowledge and awareness.