The Breast Cancer Awareness Month is annually observed across the globe in the month of October from 1st October to 31st October to create awareness and focus the attention on the early detection and treatment of Breast Cancer as well as the palliative care of this disease.
About Breast Cancer:
i.Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in women across the globe in both developing and developed countries.
ii.The rate of incidence has been increasing in the low and middle income countries due to the increase in life expectancy, urbanisation and adoption of western culture.
iii.The majority of the deaths due to breast cancer occur in the low and middle income countries where the cancer is diagnosed in the late stages.
iv.Breast Cancer develops in people with risk factors like obesity, alcoholism, radiation etc.
v.“Pink Ribbon” is the international symbol of the breast cancer awareness.
Prevention:
i.Avoiding the use of tobacco eliminates the major risk factor of mortality due to cancer.
ii.Modification in the diet and regular physical activities plays a major role in cancer control and other non-communicable diseases.
National Cancer Control Programmes (NCCP):
i.The World Health Organisation (WHO)’s National Cancer Control Programme(NCCP) is aimed to reduce the rate of cancer cases and death and to improve the quality of the life of cancer patients.
ii.This programme implements the systematic evidence based strategies for the prevention and early detection, diagnosis, treatment and palliation using the available resources.
Click here for India’s Cancer Profile 2020
About World Health Organisation (WHO)
Director General– Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
