World Cancer Day: Need to mobilize people against the cancer epidemic

04 February, 2013

World Cancer Day, being celebrated today, is the only singular initiative under which the entire world can unite together and fight against the global cancer epidemic on. The World Cancer Day was founded by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) in 2008, and the primary goal of this program is to encourage the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer and to reduce death and illness due to cancer.

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide and according to World Health Organization (WHO) about 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention. The developing countries are harder hit by cancer than the developed countries. It has become very essential to curb the world's leading cause of death by working on effective control measure and World Cancer Day is an event of such kind. It is held worldwide on February 4 each year.

Many non-profit organizations, businesses, government and people worldwide, work together on World Cancer Day to bring awareness in the general public about the types of cancers, treatments and preventive measures. There are many NGO's working for cancer in India like Indian Cancer Society, Cancer Aid Society, Cancer Foundation of India, Indian Cancer Winners Association etc. All these NGO's work to create awareness in the general public by doing different activities.

Mr. Dinker Dubey, Executive Head at Indian Cancer Society told this citizen journalist , “We are distributing literature regarding cancer at railway stations and nearby premises.” He also added that, they does such awareness programs frequently to create awareness among the people about cancer. They tell them about the importance of early detection of cancer, provides complete comprehensive cancer checkup service at a very nominal cost and informs their clients about the Cancer Insurance Policy.

This year the World Cancer Day theme is to dismiss the damaging myths regarding cancer. Dr. Shuaib Zaidi, an Oncologist working in Cancer Cure Clinic spoke to the citizen journalist regarding the appropriateness of the myths in India.

Myth: Cancer is just a health issue

Truth: “In India its just a health issue, we don't have an appropriate data or statistics about such a big problem. Government should take the issue seriously and should provide support of data.”

Myth: Cancer is a disease of the wealthy, elderly and developed countries.

Truth: “Yes, to some extent it is true in our county. Many young patients are developing cancer here, when compared to developed western countries, and the reason is absence of dedicated cancer research centers in the country.”

Myth: Cancer is a death sentence.

Truth: “No it is not true, if cancer is detected at early stages it can be treated. But, if the disease is diagnosed at later stage then the myth can become true.”

Myth: Cancer is my fate.

Truth: “No, this myth is not true. With right strategies, maximum number of cancer patients can be prevented with the new and sophisticated treatment procedures.”

“The major problem with cancer is late diagnosis of the disease. The developed countries of the world, diagnose cancer at an early stage by having health checkup, pap smear test and memo-gram on regular basis. But unfortunately in the developing countries like India 70 percent of the cancer cases are diagnosed in the advanced stage, where the treatment is not possible,” says Dr. PK Das, an Oncologist at Apollo Health Care.