World cancer day.

The world cancer day is an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control(UICC). The world cancer day was written into the charter of Paris against cancer. The document was signed in the French capital by the country's president at the time ( February 4th, 2000 ), Jacques Chirac and the then Unesco general director, Koichiro Matsuura.

Twenty years after and at the start of a new decade, the 20th anniversary of the world cancer day offers an opportunity for the international cancer community to reflect and take stock of the achievements that have been made over recent years.

Data, science, knowledge, policy, and understanding of cancer have come a long way since the turn of the millennium. Today in 2020, we know more about cancer than we have ever before. This increased level of awareness, knowledge, and understanding is being translated into greater prevention of the disease, earlier diagnosis, more effective treatment.

Today, more than half of cancer deaths are happening in the least developed parts of the world. Even if you live in a higher income country, inequities still exist among lower-income, indigenous, and rural communities. Equal access to cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care will save lives. By raising the public understanding of cancer, we constantly reduce fear, increase understandings and forge positive attitudes.

 Over the past twenty years, the scientific community has built a growing body of evidence on cancer risk factors. In 2015 the International agency for research on cancer (IARC) established convincing evidence of the link between the consumption of red meat and cancer and much more. A research study on "Unleashing the immune system to attack cancer cells" by the immunotherapy researchers James P. Allison and Dr. Tasuku Honjo promises "life-changing possibilities" for those diagnosed at an advanced stage where the chances of survival are typically lower. 

There is always hope. Let our concern keep driving us into action. We should continue learning, small steps every day. The primary purpose of celebrating this day is to reduce the number of cancer patients and death rates by 2020.