Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. It accounted for 7.9 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2007. Lung, stomach, liver, colon and breast cancer cause the most cancer deaths every year. In most developed countries, cancer is the second largest cause of death after cardiovascular disease, and epidemiological evidence points to this trend emerging now in the less developed world also. This is particularly true in middle-income countries, such as in South America and Asia.

A number of common risk factors have been linked to the development of cancer like unhealthy lifestyle (including tobacco and alcohol use, inadequate diet, physical inactivity), exposure to occupational (e.g. asbestos, aniline, benzene) or environmental carcinogens, (e.g. indoor air pollution), radiation (e.g. ultraviolet and ionizing radiation), and some infections (such as hepatitis B or human papilloma virus infection). Some cancers are more common in developed countries like prostate, breast and colon. Liver, stomach and cervical cancer are more common in developing countries.

Tobacco use is the single most important risk factor for cancer. Lung cancer kills more people than any other cancer. According to World Health Organization, about 4 million deaths occur in a year from tobacco, which is expected to rise about 10 million by 2030. Tobacco is responsible for about 30% of all cancer deaths in developed countries.

The most frequent types of cancer differ in occurrence between men and women. This depends on the number of global deaths taking place annually due to cancers. The common cancers occurring among men are lung, stomach, liver, colorectal, esophagus and prostate, and among women are breast, lung, stomach, colorectal and cervical.

About 30% of cancer deaths can be prevented through health education and by accepting preventive measures. Every year on 4th February, WHO joins with the sponsoring International Union Against Cancer (UICC) to promote ways to ease the global burden of cancer. To prevent cancer and to raise quality of life for cancer patients are the recurring themes.

This year on World Cancer Day, the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) will launch “I love my healthy active childhood”, the second full-year theme in our “Today’s children, tomorrow’s world” cancer prevention campaign. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising dramatically among adults and children around the world. Being overweight or obese has increased the risk of cancer among adults. World Cancer Day 2009 marks the start of a year-long campaign to encourage kids to eat a healthy diet, be physically active and maintain a healthy body weight.

Cancer can arise at all ages…in all races…in both genders…in anyone and everyone. Get aware and take the necessary steps to save yourself and your loved ones from the shudder, from the pain, from the distress, from the agony…from CANCER!