4th February-World Cancer Day

According to the report of World Health Organization (WHO) released in 2007, Cancer is perhaps the leading cause of total death in world which causes around 7.9 million deaths worldwide (13% of all deaths).

With an aim to generate the awareness among world citizens towards this deleterious disease and to support International Union Against Cancer, each year on 4^th February World Cancer Day is been organized to promote the ways to ease the global burden of cancer.

Biologically, cancer can be defined as an aberrant growth of a cell or an organ due to a specific stimulus (carcinogen). It has been reported that this growth is an erratic one, which continues to grow even after the cessation or withdrawal of the stimulus.

According to the WHO, cancer is the second leading cause of death in developed countries. Around 2.5 millions people die in developed countries due to cancer, which is approximately 21% of all their mortality. Whereas in developing countries, cancer ranks third as a cause of death as annually 3.8 million people die due to this disease.

Though, no specific cause is known till yet for this deadly disease but consumption of tobacco, alcohol, infections and hormones malfunction are thought to be major contributor towards the occurrence of common cancers all over the world.

In India, cancer is one of the ten leading cause of death which kills more than 3 lakhs of people annually. At any one point of time, approximately 1.5-2 million cancer case are been reported in the country among which 7 lakhs cases are reported as new cases.

Though, there are many reasons which are responsible for causing cancer but prominently it has been found that the habit of excessive tobacco chewing do the major damage. According the report of WHO, it is estimated that 91 per cent of oral cancers in South-East Asia are directly attributable to the use of tobacco.

In a country where majority of its youth population is been engaged in the habit of tobacco chewing it is estimated that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention.  

It is worth to appreciate that Indian government along with other reputed health organization of the country is working intently to kill the demon of cancer. However, some additional instant stern steps are also required to be taken.

It is commendable that government has directed every tobacco shopper of the country not to sell tobacco to the minors. All the sellers are instructed to display the statutory warning also.In spite of all this it can be easily noticed that hawkers are still not hesitating in selling tobacco products to the minor. To check this, a need of a strict rules either in form of monetary fine or legal sentence is required. Merely by hanging the warning board as an exhibit won’t work out, government should have to take some strict steps so that selling of tobacco to the minors can be stopped.

Another factor which catapulted the growth of this disease in the country is the lack of proper medical facility in the country. According to WHO, there are approximately 60 million health workers in world. Still, more than 50 countries are facing health worker crises. In India, nearly more than 15 lakhs patients require facilities for diagnosis, treatment and follow up at a given time.

According to a study, it is found that about 30% of cancer deaths can be prevented if cancer patients can be diagnosis at the initial stage of the disease. On cancer day, we should pledge to spread awareness about this baleful disease which has more than 100 forms and can be occur in any part of human body.