Reminders from World Cancer Day, 4 February

What is World Cancer Day?

4 February supports the aims of the World Cancer Declaration written by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in 2008 and is observed as World Cancer Day . Its main aim is substantially reducing cancer illness and deaths and bringing the international community together to end inequalities in approaches to preventable cancers .

Among the striking slogans for World Cancer Day, 4 February, is “I Am Determined and I Will”. Inspired by this, we say: “I am determined to learn new, accurate information for cancer prevention, early diagnosis and selection of the best treatments, and I will…”"

Cancer is overcome through an informed, rather than frightened, society

Life-saving events contributing to humanity have throughout history been celebrated on anniversaries as reminders . Cancer has no single such day: particularly over the last 150 years, physicians and scientists worldwide have worked continuously to understand and control it (see cancer history). One crucial fact to learn and remember is that almost half is preventable. To raise this awareness, 4 February is marked annually with various World Cancer Day activities.

Approximately 18 million develop cancer each year. Treatment advances in the last 10 years have also substantially improved survival and quality of life.

Society Must Be Freed from Cancer Fear

Fighting smoking, unbalanced diets and inactivity, and raising awareness about hepatitis-B and HPV vaccination should be key cancer prevention goals.

The age of cancer, known as an older-age disease, is falling. It increasingly threatens younger people, and scientists devote considerable effort to the surprising increase among young patients.

Related Topics:

• Why Is Cancer Mostly Seen in Old Age? Treatment Approaches in Older Patients
• Cancer Ribbon Colors – Which Color Represents Which Cancer?

Women and Men Need a “Cancer Checkup”

Women should learn breast and cervical cancer awareness in their 20s and manage their health. After becoming sexually active, regular cervical smear checks, noticing breast changes and consulting when needed should become habits.

Annual mammography after 40, after 55 every 2 years if no problems, and periodic colorectal screening with colonoscopy or fecal blood tests after 45 for both sexes should be performed. After 55, men with 30 pack-years or more (one pack daily for 30 years or 2 daily for 15 years) should learn annual low-dose lung tomography saves lives. Smokers should learn that several cessation methods exist.

Vaccination Must Not Be Neglected

Our society unfortunately remains insufficiently aware. Hepatitis B vaccine protection against cirrhosis and liver cancer, and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine protection for women against cervical cancer and both sexes against head and neck and anal cancers must be continually explained, protecting our future and children from easily preventable cancers.

Cancer Prevention Must Begin in Childhood

Starting the fight in childhood is crucial to protect future young people. Urban living affects children even more than adults. Many have rapidly moved from home cooking to fast food and begun experiencing urbanization and career concerns’ negative effects.

- Related topic: What Is a Balanced and Healthy Diet?

From primary school, neighborhood games have given way to endless desk-based exam preparation and television addiction. Unbalanced diets expose children from primary education to obesity risk; by high school, insufficiently protected from cigarettes, they become a generation experimenting and rapidly approaching addiction. Measures must therefore start in primary school.

Correctly Used Chemicals Are Part of Life

Proper management of chemicals, indispensable allies of long and healthy lives, matters; uninformed use and misuse should be targeted.

Discouraging accessible essentials such as vegetables, fruit and poultry because they contain chemicals is inappropriate. Chemicals may be misused not only in food but textiles, construction materials and all areas of life here as worldwide.

The priority is not blaming food but establishing trustworthy inspections and standardization rules in our country. Radon gasis the second most common lung cancer cause after smoking. Measurements of this environmental radiation should be defined in construction areas.

Related Topic:

- When Does a Carcinogenic Substance Cause Cancer?