World Cancer Day: History, Objectives and Significance

As far back as recorded history goes, cancer has always been the leading cause of death worldwide. Each year on February 4, people throughout the world unite to rid the world of cancer and the fear it inspires just by its name. The annual event is themed around the colors orange and blue to encourage people to band together in the fight against cancer.

World Cancer Day is a global health event that raises awareness of cancer. It is celebrated on February 4th every year since 2000, to educate people about how they can identify cancer, treat it, and prevent it. The annual observance of World Cancer Awareness Day has grown into a major global event for raising public awareness about cancer. More than 900 events were held in 105 countries during the 2017 campaign. On this World Cancer Day, 3,75,000 tweets and posts were made using the trending hashtag #WorldCancerDay. There were over 1,10,000 downloads of campaign materials, and over 50,000 unique posters were made by site visitors.

History

The World Cancer Summit Against Cancer in the New Millennium, which took place on February 4, 2000, in Paris, officially named February 4 as World Cancer Day.  

At the Summit in Paris on 4 February 2000, then-General Director of UNESCO Kichir Matsuura and then-French President Jacques Chirac signed the Charter of Paris Against Cancer, a document designed to encourage cancer research, prevention, and better patient services. The charter also includes an article establishing the anniversary of its official signing as World Cancer Day. 

 
Objective

The purpose of World Cancer Day is to increase public understanding of cancer as a major health problem and to mobilize efforts to provide all cancer patients with timely and effective diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care.

 
Theme

This year's World Cancer Day theme, "Close the Care Gap," is a continuation of the 2022 theme and will run until 2024 (a three-year campaign) with yearly goals. It was hoped that by launching a multi-year campaign, there would be more time to gain traction with target audiences, generate more awareness, and ultimately make a bigger impact on the world.

The objective of this year’s theme is “Uniting our voices and taking action.” The focus of this second year is on mobilizing the support of people, groups, activists, and officials who are all committed to making things better. The Union for International Cancer Control(UICC) plans to investigate in greater depth the role that the consumption of unhealthy items like tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods play in causing cancer and other preventable deaths. The UICC strives to draw attention to the fact that the sales of these products primarily affect the marginalized groups (such as youth, those from low-income backgrounds, and ethnic minorities).

 
Importance of World Cancer Day

Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cell growth occurs in one part of the body and then spreads to other parts. Over one crore people lost their lives to cancer in 2020, making it the leading cause of death worldwide. Reports indicate that there were between 19 and 20 lakhs (estimated) of cases in India in the year 2022. Cancer risk factors include tobacco use, heavy alcohol use, poor diet, insufficient exercise, and environmental factors including smog and car exhaust.

Various chronic diseases increase the likelihood of developing cancer, and this is a special difficulty for countries with low and moderate incomes. Cancer survival rates were also lower in these countries because of issues like inadequate healthcare infrastructure, late diagnosis, and high costs. Similarly, even in developed countries, a lack of cancer awareness also causes a delay in diagnosis. According to a study from 2020 that was conducted in four main centers, most people with cancer in India identify the disease and seek treatment only in their later stage. Cancer education is significantly impacted by both literacy and economic status. Those in India with higher incomes and levels of education were more likely to be aware of cancer than others.

 
The main key factors why World Cancer Day is important are,

• Most common types of cancer can be prevented if detected at an early stage.
• Talking about cancer and spreading awareness in the rural areas to educate them about the disease.

 
As a result, there is a pressing need to fill the knowledge gaps regarding cancer screening, prevention, and treatment among the Indian and global populations, particularly in low and middle-income countries where literacy rates are low and hence contribute to a rise in cancer prevalence. Some of the prevalent cancer types are Stomach Cancer, Breast Cancer, Lung cancer, Cervical cancer, etc...On this World Cancer Day, let's all remember how important it is to both detect cancer early and treat it well.

 
World Cancer Day 2023

The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is organizing many events in honor of World Cancer Day 2023, including a "5k Challenge" in which people from all walks of life are encouraged to participate in activities including running, cycling, swimming, hiking, or walking to symbolize closing the gap in care. In addition, there will be "21-day challenges" designed to help people form new, healthier habits, increase public understanding of cervical cancer, and learn more about disparities in access to cancer care. 

We all know that some cancers are curable when diagnosed and treated at an early stage. Therefore, it is recommended to see an oncologist as soon as you experience any symptoms.