WORLD CANCER DAY 2015

The 4th of February of every year is World Cancer Day. This is the day set aside by WHO

and other agencies to promote ways to ease the burden of cancer.  

Taking place under the tagline ‘Not beyond us’, World Cancer Day 2015 will take a positive and proactive approach to the fight against cancer, highlighting that solutions do exist across the  continuum of cancer, and that they are within our reach. The campaign will explore how we can implement what we already know in the areas of prevention, early detection, treatment and care, and in turn, open up to the exciting prospect that we can impact the global cancer burden – for the better.

World Cancer Day is a unique opportunity to raise awareness that there is much that can be done at an individual, community and governmental level, to harness and mobilise these solutions and catalyse positive change. By moving forward together we have the potential to show: Cancer. It is not beyond us.

KNOW ABOUT CANCER

Cancers are uncontrolled and excessive growths with a potential to invade surrounding tissue and spread to distant sites in the body. Cancer is the second leading cause of death, following after only cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke). It affects all races and ages, though more common as you grow older. Several factors may contribute to the development of cancer. Such factors include genetic, use of tobacco, alcohol, certain infections like hepatitis B and C, human papilloma virus the cause of cervical cancer and helicobacter pylori related cancers of stomach and other environmental factors.

The most common cancers include breast cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer and skin cancer.

PREVENTION OF CANCER

At least one third of all cancers are preventable. Prevention offers the most cost effective long term strategy for the control of cancer.

DO NOT SMOKE. Smoking is the number 1 preventable cause of cancer worldwide.

AVOID INFECTIONS-Safe sex practices to prevent infections like HIV, Hepatitis B and C and Human papilloma virus 20 million cancers worldwide are caused by infections.

Vaccines are available at hospitals against hepatitis B and HPV.

EAT HEALTHY DIET

TAKE REGULAR EXERCISE

AVOID EXCESSIVE SUN EXPOSURE.

EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT IS CRITICAL

Always discuss the appropriate screening measures with your doctor. Some important guides:

i. Monthly self-breast examination in females, 6 monthly breast examination by the doctor    and mammography every 2 years after age 40. 

ii. Regular pap smear in sexually active females

iii. Annual prostate specific antigen (PSA) in males from age 50 years 

iv. Annual colonoscopy after age 50 years.