World Cancer Day: Spreading Awareness, Saving Lives

World Cancer Day is an important date on the calendar each year. It is an initiative that promotes the significance of early detection, improved screening and the best treatment options.

As we enter February, we’ve put together a guide for World Cancer Day, the impact cancer has on young people and some tips and advice on how to speak about cancer. There are a few really important world health days each year, and this is definitely one of the most important.

What is World Cancer Day?

World Cancer Day is on the 4th February each year and started in 2000 at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium in Paris.

The Paris Charter is used to promote research into cancer, to prevent cancer, and to improve patient services. Each year, the date marks another chance for people the world over to raise awareness of cancer, and to improve our approach to screening for and treating cancer.

United by Unique

The campaign theme for World Cancer Day is currently ‘United by Unique’. Every single person with cancer is more than just a statistic with a medical diagnosis.

Every cancer story is unique and deeply personal, and World Cancer Day is about highlighting some of these stories and to encourage a people-centred approach to cancer care and treatment that looks after each individual person.
different dimensions of people-centred cancer care.

Cancer statistics in young people

Although age is one of the key risk factors for cancer, and in a world where on average we are living longer, it is important to be aware that cancer can happen to any person, of any age.

Between 1990 and 2018, the rates for cancer in young adults aged between 25 and 49 increased by 22% (though this only accounts for 9% of new cancer diagnoses).

For those aged under 25, children, teenagers, and young adults, they make up 1% of all cancer cases.

Some more statistics about cancer in young people in the UK:

•  In the UK there are around 2,500 young people aged between 13 and 24 years who are diagnosed with cancer each year, or seven people every single day.
• From this number, around 310 teenagers and young adults die from cancer, and it is the leading cause of death from disease in the UK for this age group.
•  Only 30% of teenagers aged between 15 and 19, and 14% of young people aged between 20 and 24, receive access to clinical trials for common cancer types. This is in direct comparison with 50-70% of children younger than those ages.
•  More than 80% of teenagers and young adults diagnosed with cancer survive for at least five years in the UK.
•  The death rate of cancer in this age group has halved since the 1970s in the UK.

The most common cancers in young females aged between 15 and 25 are:

• Carcinomas
• Lymphomas
•  Brain tumours
•  Leukaemia
•  Malignant melanoma

In young men aged between 15 and 25, the most common cancer diagnoses are:

•  Leukaemia
•  Carcinomas
•  Lymphomas
•  Germ cell tumours
•  Brain tumours

Signs and symptoms to be aware of

It is important that you understand a few of the signs and symptoms to be aware of, when you should seek medical assistance and speak to a doctor. Early detection and screening help to improve the chances of success with cancer treatment, so it is always important to be open and aware. Symptoms include:

•  An unexplained lump anywhere on your body.
•  A sore that doesn’t heal.
• Changes to your skin or to an existing mole.
•  Significant weight loss that is unexplained.
•  Bruising that I unexplained.
• Constant dizziness and headaches.
•  Blood in your urine.
•  Blood in your bowel motion.
• Coughing up blood.
• A cough or other cold symptoms that last for longer than three weeks.

How to talk about cancer

There is no simple answer about how you should talk about cancer, especially as each case is so personal. What we can do though, is offer some guidance about how you can be open and empathetic with friends and family members who have been diagnosed with cancer, and how to talk about it if you have cancer.

In general, we would encourage you to be open and honest, to communicate with your friends and family, to raise awareness about cancer, the signs to look out for, and to have greater understanding of how it impacts lives. Be as open as you can be, whoever you are speaking to about cancer. This is the best way to open up people to new experiences, to understand how it can affect every different type of person.

If you are talking to a person who has been diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment, offer an empathetic ear, be an active listener, and don’t be afraid to check in on them to see how they are doing

Also, chat about anything other than cancer from time to time, to help take their mind of treatment and to get them through particularly bad days, which are natural.

Offer to help with small, everyday tasks, and ask if the person wants specific help with anything. This all makes a big difference to someone who is going through treatment. Show support without being overbearing and allow the space to listen and to speak when they want to, without pressure.

Our team always want to provide you with the best information about a wide range of health issues and events throughout the year, whether cancer, heart health of breaking the silence around men’s mental health.

World Cancer Day is an important date in your diary to ensure that you are fully informed about cancer, how it impacts young people, and how to talk about cancer. There are a wide range of cancer charities and organisations if you are affected by cancer and want to seek out more information or want to talk with a professional.