World Lung Cancer Day is annually observed on 1st August to spread awareness about the causes and treatment of lung cancer. The main purpose of the day is to educate people about the habits and the factors that can cause lung cancer.
- Lung cancer is one of the deadliest diseases and the leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women.
Note-
World Cancer Day is annually observed on 4th February by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
Background:
i.The World Lung Cancer campaign was first organised in 2012 by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies(FIRS) in association with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and the American College of Chest Physicians.
ii.The IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) is the largest organization in the world and is one of its kind to deal with lung cancer.
- It provides information to people about the major causes of lung cancer, including smoking and exposure to asbestos, uranium, arsenic, etc.
Significance
i.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), lung cancer accounts for nearly one in five cancer deaths.
- Lung cancer mortality is estimated to reach 2.45 million by 2030, a 39 percent increase as compared to the last decade.
ii.Cancer is responsible for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020, or nearly one in six deaths.
- Cancer-causing infections, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis, are responsible for approximately 30% of cancer cases in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
- The most common cancers are breast, lung, colon and rectum and prostate cancers.
iii.Smoking or tobacco consumption has long been known as the primary cause of lung cancer worldwide. Around one-third of deaths from cancer are due to tobacco use, high body mass index, alcohol consumption, low fruit and vegetable intake, and lack of physical activity.
- However, workplace exposure to asbestos, diesel exhaust, or other chemicals can also cause lung cancer in non-smokers.
Lung cancer classified into two main types:
- Small cell lung cancers
- Non-small lung cancers
About International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC):
President– Dr. Heather Wakelee
Headquarters-Denver, Colorado, United States
Founded-1974
