World Cancer Day being observed today

KATHMANDU: World Cancer Day is being observed by organising a variety of awareness programmes against cancer today.

The day is celebrated every year on February 4, with the theme for this year internationally being “Together, we challenge those in power”. This theme encompasses the global demand for leaders to prioritize and invest in cancer prevention and care and to do more to achieve a just and cancer-free world, according to the World Health Organization.

Likewise, the theme for the day in Nepal is ‘ Challenge of cancer is on the Rise, Lets increase access to care’.

According to the WHO, in 2022 about one million people died due to cancer. About one-third of cancer deaths are caused by tobacco use, obesity, alcohol consumption, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, and lack of physical activity.

Similarly, the most common is lung cancer. Although there are no accurate statistics of cancer patients in Nepal, according to WHO, the casualties in women in the country are high due to cervical and breast cancer. Similarly, lung, stomach and liver cancer are more common in men.