WORLD CANCER DAY
04 February 2014
4, February – World Cancer Day
World Cancer Day, announced by International Union Against Cancer Diseases, is every 4th of February. The purpose of this day all over the world is to improve the knowledge of people about cancer as one of the most terrible and destructive diseases in our modern civilization. Attracting attention to prevention, detection and treatment of this disease, we can achieve good results and in some cases complete recovery.
World Cancer Day – 4th of February 2014 is held under motto “Shatter myths”.
This year the attention is again concentrated on the fifth task in World Declaration against cancer – to shatter misbelieves and consideration about disease.
Myth 1: “We do not require conversations about cancer”.
In fact, the conversations about serious disease may be unpleasant but the knowledge is able to help to prevent the disease both at an individual human and to improve the situation in society.
Myth 2: “Cancer is an insidious disease, which catch a human unawares, without any symptoms”. There are always the early manifestations of disease, it is important not to miss them. Early detection has absolute advantages.
Myth 3: “Nothing can prevent the disease, it is a sentence”. Much depends on human itself and society. One third of cancer cases may be prevented and up to 40% of patients may be cured at detection of diseases in early stage.
Myth 4: “It is impossible to prevent from sufferings, related to cancer”. People have equal rights to know about efficient methods for prevention and treatment of disease, to receive the services, which prevent from sufferings and pain.
Every year 12 mln. people, who for the first time fell ill with cancer, are found all over the world. Approximately 7 millions die from disease. Ukraine is known by high level of disease and is included into the first ten of countries in the world according to this index, having 160 thousands sick persons per year. 90 thousands patients every year die, 40% of them – during the first year after detection (lethality of up to one year) because of late diagnostics.
Medical men and experts in the sphere of public health mention that more than 40% of cancer diseases may be prevented. The factors of environment and consumption of food products that contain carcinogens (35%) influence on origin of cancer, first of all, the second place – consumption of tobacco products (30%). The results from numerous epidemiological researches prove that tobacco goods and cigarette smoke contain over 70 aggressive carcinogens, which are the reason for oncologic diseases: lung cancer (90%), mouth cavity and throat (80%), pancreas, bladder, etc.
Ukraine is included into the first ten of countries in the world due to sickness and death rate of cancer, every year diagnosing 160 thousands new cases. Almost 90 thousands Ukrainians every year die from cancer, 40% of which – during the first year after detection.
Cancer is the reason for 15% of deaths in Ukraine, being inferior only to cardiovascular diseases due to this index. Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent oncologic diseases; about 20 thousands of new cases are registered in Ukraine every year and 80% of patients – active smokers. It was proved the smokers have the risk for development of cancer by 30 times higher than those ones, who have no such bad habit.
WHO’s experts think that it is possible to save more lives if national governments more actively implement the policy “on release from tobacco smoke” and provide with significant tax for tobacco goods. It will help not only more successful to struggle against diseases, caused by smoking and to receive the additional funds to state budgets, which can further be used for programs on improvement of public health, including for struggle against cancer.
