With 10 million people dying every year cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Female breast, lung, prostate and colorectal are the most common cancers globally. According to The World Health Organisation in 2022 there were over 22 million new cancer cases worldwide with 9.7 million deaths. 70% of these deaths happen in low to middle income countries. World Cancer Day is 4th February, the theme for 2024 is close the care gap. The first World Cancer Day was in 2000 and has been led by The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) every year since. The UICC believe that access to life-saving cancer diagnosis treatment and care should be equitable for all; regardless of where a person lives, how much they earn, whatever their ethnicity or gender.

Risk Factors

Over 40% of cancer related deaths could have possibly been prevented. These deaths are associated to modifiable risk factors such as alcohol consumption, lack of physical exercise, smoking, and poor diet.

Prevention

One third of deaths related to cancer can be prevented through people attending Cancer routine screening programs such as breast screening, cervical, and bowl, and finding cancer early and treating it quickly and effectively.

Impact of World Cancer Day 2023

In 170 different countries there were over 25,000 press articles

Over 850 events took place in 102 countries

There were over 430,000 Social Media Posts

Over 60 Governments actively took part

February 4th is a day like any other, however this Sunday in 2024 it is World Cancer Day an international day raising awareness of cancer and encouraging prevention, detection and treatment. Happy World Cancer Day.