New Delhi: World Cancer Day is an international awareness day, marked every year on 4 February. The aim is to save millions of preventable deaths each year by pressing on the issue, raising awareness and educating people on cancer. The event is also aimed at urging government bodies and individuals across the world to take action against the deadly disease.
Cancer is now the second leading cause of death globally after cardiovascular diseases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease accounts for one in six deaths around the world.
Cancer is a group of diseases distinguished by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body. It can be caused by mutations that may be inherited, induced by environmental factors or result from DNA replication errors. There are over 100 types of cancer, but the most common types among men are lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer, while, breast, lung, cervical and thyroid are the most common types among women.
Birth of World Cancer Day
The idea for World Cancer Day began with six cancer experts who convened in Paris in 1999. The group — Drs David Kayat, Peter Harper, James F. Holland, Gabriel N. Horobagyi, Lawrence H. Einhorn and Sandra Swain — drafted a charter that outlined a vision addressing the impact of cancer on “human life, human suffering and on the productivity of nations”.
On 4 February 2000, World Cancer Day was officially established by the Paris Charter at the World Summit against Cancer for the New Millennium in Paris. The charter was signed by the then President of France, Jacques Chirac, and then General Director of UNESCO, Kōichirō Matsuura.
Also read: UK scientists stumble upon cells in body that can cure all types of cancer
UICC initiative
World Cancer Day is an initiative taken by the largest and oldest international cancer organisation, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
The non-profit organisation comes together to support the cancer community to reduce the global cancer burden, to promote greater equity, and to ensure that cancer control continues to be a priority in the world health and development agenda.
This year’s theme for World Cancer Day is ‘I Am and I Will’, which is all about positive actions through self commitment to reducing the number of premature deaths from cancer and noncommunicable diseases by one third by 2030.
On 2 February, the UICC took to Twitter to share that this year, which also marks the 20th anniversary of World Cancer Day, cities and landmarks across the world will be lit up in orange and blue to commemorate the event.
On the 4 February cities and landmarks across the world ? will light up ? in orange and blue to commemorate #WorldCancerDay.
Keep a look out ? and share your pictures with us.#IAmAndIWill@CancerStratCA pic.twitter.com/rSXlMoEyDH
— uicc (@uicc) February 2, 2020
Cancer in India
The most common type of cancers in India are breast, cervical, gastric, oral and lung cancers.
A study in the Journal of Global Oncology found that cancer cases in India will double every 20 years. The research also specified states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, which pass through huge epidemiological changes, will bear the biggest cancer burden in the next 10-20 years because these states have a huge gap in demand and supply of cancer treatment facilities.
The deadly disease also contributes to catastrophic health spending, distress financing and increased expenditure before death in the country. Almost 40 per cent of cancer costs are met through borrowing, sales of assets and contributions from peers and family members, and these costs exceed 20 percent of annual per capita household expenditure in 60 percent of Indian households with a cancer patient. Estimates show that Indian citizens spent USD 6.74 billion in 2012 as a result of cancer.
A research study published in the Lancet Global Health, revealed that India recorded the highest number of cervical cancer deaths globally in 2018 with 97,000 cases and 60,000 deaths, with cervical cancer being the fourth most common cancer in women after breast, lung and colorectal cancers.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has estimated more than 17.3 lakh new cancer cases and more than 8.8 lakh deaths due to the disease by 2020.
Cancer statistics in India
- Over 11,57,294 lakh cancer patients registered every year
- Oral and lung cancers account for 25 percent of deaths in men.
- Oral and breast cancers account for over 25 percent of deaths in women.
- Every 8 minutes, one woman dies of cervical cancer.
- Deaths due to tobacco use is estimated at more than 3500 people every day.
- Oral cancer most common cancer among men
Also read: Does coffee affect your biology? Yes, more than just waking you up