Out of 9,816,000 people who died in 2014 in India, 7 per cent succumb to cancer. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) report, cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide, it killed around 8.2 million people in 2012.


February 04 is observed as World Cancer Day across the globe. Read about the cancer day here www.worldcancerday.org/

Here are 10 facts you must know about the deadly disease :
 

• There are more than 100 types of cancers; any part of the body can be affected by these.

• About 70 per cent of all cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

• Five most common types of cancer that kill males are (in order of frequency): lung, stomach, liver, colorectal and oesophagus.

• Five most common types of cancer that kill females are (in the order of frequency): breast, lung, stomach, colorectal and cervical. In many developing countries, cervical cancer is the most common cancer.
  
   

• Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world causing 22 per cent of cancer deaths

• One fifth of all cancers worldwide are caused by a chronic infection.  For example human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer and hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes liver cancer.

• Cancers of major public health relevance such as breast, cervical and colorectal cancer can be cured if detected early and treated adequately.

• More than 30 per cent of cancer could be prevented, mainly by not using tobacco, having a healthy diet, being physically active and moderating the use of alcohol. In developing countries up to 20 per cent of cancer deaths could be prevented by immunization against the infection.

• A latest report by WHO for 2012 revealed that Lung cancer killed 1.59 million, liver cancer killed 745, 000, stomach cancer killed 694,000 while breast cancer and oesophageal cancer killed 521,000 and 400,000 people respectively.

• More than 60 per cent of the new cancer cases occur in Africa, Asia and Central and South America which account for 70 per cent of the world’s cancer deaths.

(Source: WHO)


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