February 4 is Celebrated as World Cancer Day
Verified By
KIMS-SUNSHINE
Specialist,
4 February, 2025
Cancer is a condition that can affect any organ, does not necessarily restrict itself to any one tissue and can spread anywhere, causing a multitude of issues and symptoms in the affected individual. Millions of new cases are detected every year. The trend is pretty worrisome from a healthcare management view- as over 35 million cases are expected to be present by the year 2050, all over the world. The story is no different in India, with over 10% of the population suffering from some sort of cancer. This means on an average, 1 person in 9 individuals will have to deal with cancer in their lifetime.
History of World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day is a major health awareness day celebrated on a global scale every year. Awareness campaigns are a major feature of this day. It was first begun by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), which was founded in 1933 in Geneva. They have an extensive network of member organisations which help provide diagnostic and treatment related services to the grass root levels. There are about 1120 members from 172 different countries or regions. UICC decided to celebrate World Cancer Day for the first time in 2000 in Paris, at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millenium. They officially signed a document called the ‘Paris Charter’ which focuses on helping people get early screening and to motivate research groups and governments to invest in cutting edge technology and medications that can save lives.
Theme for 2025
The theme for 2025-2027 is ‘United by Unique’ where they want each person to get personalised care- as cancer is a highly individualistic disease in many aspects. One drug that may work for Person A may not work for another person who has the same condition. Plus, each person will have a unique encounter and an ever more unique experience with the disease- which means they all have important points to share, so others can learn. The extent of their disease may be different, the support system is going to be different and so much more. 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the Paris Charter, which makes it that much more relevant. The campaign for the next 2 years hopes to place great importance on people, their stories and their experiences in particular.
World Cancer Day in the Indian Context
In India, the concept of early screening needs to be reinforced on a very large scale. The government has come up with many campaigns to that effect, but a lot still needs to be done. Almost 12.8% of the population suffers from cancer and there is a lot of stigma and misinformation about the condition. Sure, it is dangerous, but if it is caught early, the treatment and prognosis are much better in the long run, as opposed to when someone gets diagnosed very late. In men, it is lung cancer, while it is breast cancer for women. Financial issues dominate in ensuring timely treatment. We have the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), along with screenings for particular pockets in the country.
Conclusion
Cancer is a disease where the cells in a particular organ or tissue divide uncontrollably. This is problematic, as cell division is a tightly regulated process which needs to occur only when necessary. Specific cues ensure that cells stop dividing when everything is normal. But, when this mechanism goes awry, the end result is a tumour which may be malignant or benign. Some cancers are very hard to detect, while others are somewhat easier to screen at an initial stage. Plus, most of us believe that having cancer is equivalent to being given a death sentence. That is not true at all in so many aspects. It is time we get rid of any and all stigma associated with the disease, be open in all channels of communication and get people the help they deserve.
