Jhelaine Palo | On 04, Feb 2018

On February 4, World Cancer Day is celebrated globally. It is a day to raise awareness about the widespread illness that affects millions of people in the United States and worldwide.

“We can, I can” is the theme of this year’s World Cancer Day, making cancer a global health priority. It calls for everyone to come together to do their part to accentuate the universal burden of cancer. In the United States, the event will be the most visible in New York where the Empire State Building is lit blue and orange for the eighth year in a row. The colors represent the Union for International Cancer Control, which organizes World Cancer Day.

In Greece, World Cancer Day was observed with a series of events to raise awareness and help the prevention of cancer. Greek Cancer Society volunteers were handing out informative leaflets, holding banners with the slogan “We can. I can” in front of the parliament. Small lanterns were held in the memory of the people who lost their lives to cancer.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan was illuminated in pink for the first time in the country’s history to mark World Cancer Day. The color pink was shown in support of Pink Ribbon Pakistan to stand in solidarity of the survivors, especially breast cancer.

Manchester United’s manager Jose Mourinho showed his support by wearing the World Cancer Day unity band. His Instagram caption reads, “Wear your #UnityBand with pride on Sunday 4th Feb, #WorldCancerDay. Make sure to buy yours.”

Cancer is a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. It is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In 2012, there were 14 million new cases and 8.2 cancer-related deaths around the world. It is expected that the number of new cancer cases within the next two decades will increase to 22 million. In 2018, an estimated 1,735,350 new cancer cases will be diagnosed and an estimated 609,640 cancer deaths in the US. More than 60% of the world’s new cancer cases occur in Africa, Asia and Central and South America. Additionally, 70% of the world’s cancer deaths also occur in these regions.

There are more than 100 types of cancer, and they are generally named for the organs or tissues on where they originate. The most common cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal (colon and rectal) cancer, Prostate Cancer, Melanoma and Bladder Cancer.

Breast Cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. As of 2018, there are more than 3.1 million women with history of breast cancer in the United States. There is an estimated 268,670 new breast cancer cases in 2018 and an estimated 41,400 deaths this year. Common symptoms of breast cancer include a breast lump or thickening that feels different from the surrounding tissue, change in size, shape and/or appearance of the breast, peeling scaling, entrusting or flaking of the skin or pitting of the skin over the breast.

Lung Cancer is considered to be the deadliest cancer in the US. Even though lung cancer can occur in people who have never smoked, smokers have the greatest risk of lung cancer. As the length of time and number of cigarettes a person smokes increases, the risk also grows. Lung cancer has an estimated number of 234,030 new cases in 2018 along with the estimated 154,050 number of deaths. Signs and symptoms of lung cancer only occurs when the disease is already advanced. The signs and symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, bone pain, headache and coughing up blood (even a small amount).

Colorectal Cancer includes the colon and the rectum. These two organs are often grouped together since they have many features in common. For colon cancer, the estimated number of new cases in 2018 is 97,220. Rectal cancer has an estimated number of 43,030. The combined number of deaths for colon and rectal cancer is 50,630 because a large number of deaths from rectal cancer are misdiagnosed as colon cancer. Symptoms include a change in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of the stool that lasts for more than a few days, rectal bleeding with bright red blood, blood in the stool, cramping or abdominal pain, weakness and fatigue, and unintended weight loss.

Prostate Cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men. Prostate cancer can range from growing slowly and needing minimal or no treatment to aggressive and quickly spreading. An estimated 164,690 new cases of prostate cancer will occur in 2018. And a number of 29,430 estimated deaths in 2018. Symptoms include trouble urinating, decreased force in the stream of urine, blood in semen, discomfort in the pelvic area, bone pain and erectile dysfunction.

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer which can develop anywhere on a person’s body. They most often develop in areas that are exposed to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or tanning lamps and beds. An estimated 91,270 new cases of melanoma is reported and there is 9,320 estimated deaths in 2018. Symptoms include the development of a new pigmented or unusual-looking growth on the skin.

Bladder Cancer occurs in men more frequently than it does in women. It can also affects older adults although it can happen at any age. This type of cancer most often begins in the cells that line the inside of a person’s’ bladder. There is an estimated number of 81,190 new cases of bladder cancer and an estimated number of 17,240 deaths in 2018. Symptoms include blood in urine, painful urination and pelvic pain. People who have bladder cancer might also experience back pain and frequent urination.

Reducing personal risk of developing cancer can be achieved by having a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, having adequate rest, regular exercise, limiting alcohol and quitting smoking. Early screening is crucial for catching cancers in time, since a person may not experience any symptoms of some cancers until it has spread all over the body.