World Cancer Day is observed on 4th February every year to raise awareness of cancer disease and to promote its treatment, prevention, and detection. World Cancer Day was started on 4 February 2000 by Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), which is the largest and oldest international cancer organization.

A Cancer is a disease in which some cells of the body grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. These damaged cells when they multiply, they may form tumor, which are lumps of tissue. Tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign). Cancer is life-threatening disease.

Facts:

• Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020.
• The estimated number of incident cases of cancer in India for the year 2022 was found to be 14, 61,427.
• In India, one in nine people are likely to develop cancer in his/her lifetime.
• The most common cancers in men and women, respectively, were lung and breast cancers.
• The most common cancers are breast, lung, colon and rectum and prostate cancers.

Early Diagnosis:

People can be affected by many type of cancer such as, Breast cancer, Skin cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, prostate cancer, and many more. But with early detection, cancer can be treated with appropriate treatment, which may increase the probability of survival with less morbidity.

Early diagnosis consists of three components:

• Being aware of the the signs of various cancers and the need of seeking medical help when abnormal findings are noticed.
• Access to clinical evaluation and diagnostic services.
• Timely referral to treatment services.

Prevention:

Cancer risks can be reduced by taking preventative measures.

• Avoid eating tobacco
• Eating healthy diet
• Limiting the consumption of alcohol
• Exercise regularly
• Maintaining a healthy body weight

This Year UICC's theme of Cancer Day is "Close the Care Gap" which aims to bring together the global cancer community, sparking powerful conversations and inspiring thousands of activities that connected communities and helped raise awareness about equity in cancer care.

On World Cancer Day, numerous campaigns are carried out to demonstrate support for individuals who have been affected by cancer. Medicircle is also making a contribution by posting posts on social media and an article on a website.