World Cancer Day

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World Cancer Day is observed every year worldwide on February 4 to raise awareness, and reduce the global impact of cancer.

Key Facts

What is Cancer?

It is a disease that can start in almost any organ or tissue of the body when abnormal cells grow uncontrollably.
- Spread other parts of the body (metastasizing).
These cells may form tumours, which are lumps of tissue. Tumours can be cancerous or non-cancerous (benign).
Oncology is the medical branch that diagnoses, treats and researches cancer cells.
Types: Categories of cancers that begin in specific types of cells like Carcinoma (skin), Sarcoma (connective tissues), Leukemia (Bone Marrow) etc.
Major Causes: Genetics, Tobacco, Diet, Radiation & Environment.
Treatment: Surgery, Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy, Bone marrow transplant etc.

Cancer Burden in India

National Cancer Registry Programme Report 2020: Cancer cases in India are likely to increase to 15.6 lakhs by 2025 — a 12% increase from currently estimated cases.
Globally, cancer cases increased 21% and deaths 26% from 2010 to 2019. Oral cancer is the most prevalent cancer.
WHO: Second leading cause of death globally and in 2018, 18 million cases globally, of which 1.5 million were in India alone.

Government Initiatives

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC): Specialized cancer agency of the WHO.
SDG: To achieve a one-third reduction in cancer-related deaths by 2030.
National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) under NHM.
National Health Policy & National Tobacco Control Programme.
Government programmes: Ayushman Bharat, Swasthya Bharat, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Poshan Abhiyaan and Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, FSSAI Labelling.
India creates the world’s 1st Database of Genomic Variants of Oral Cancer ‘dbGENVOC’.
National Cancer Grid (NCG) is a network of major cancer centres.

Source: LM

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