World Cancer Day – February 4

To raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment, February 4 is marked as the World Cancer Day. The primary goal of the World Cancer Day is to significantly reduce illness and death caused by cancer by 2020.

• This event is organized on annual basis under the supervision of Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and other leading health organizations involved for cancer fighting.
• World Cancer Day Theme 2016-18: We can. I can.

What “We can. I can” signifies?
We can.

• Stop myths that lead to stigma against cancer patients
• Encourage schools to educate children on how to prevent cancer
• Demand governments increase funding for cancer treatment facilities

I can.

• Stop smoking for good
• Learn about the signs and symptoms linked to cancer
• Return back to work after cancer treatment, to give it the biggest insult of all

World Cancer Day Events:
Globally, there were more than 590 activities held which were completely public events and were run for the public, by the public.

• The leading health organizations as well as nongovernmental organizations takes part by organizing the camps, awareness programs, rallies, lectures, seminars and etc. to spread the special messages about the cancer awareness and its prevention

Announcement regarding mammography:
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organisation, recommends mammography for women aged over 50 and announced there is no need for it less than 50 years of age.

• The decision in this regard has been taken due to the scientific evidence that mammography is effective in reducing breast cancer mortality for women in the 50–69 age-group but has limited efficacy in the younger age band of 40 to 49.