Today is World Cancer Day

World Cancer Day is an important day in the world, equally important in Serbia, which is at the very top in terms of the number of cancer patients. Every year, about 40,000 people engage in the most difficult battle, while, unfortunately, about 20,000 of them lose the battle. Patients diagnosed with cancer are in the situation that their bone marrow is not able to produce enough blood cells for a certain period of time and therefore a transfusion of blood or platelets is necessary. Also, they need blood during surgical procedures, but also during and after the application of chemotherapy.

Of the total amount of collected blood, more than 30% of the units are forwarded for the treatment of patients suffering from all malignant diseases. Bearing in mind that every 35 seconds one person in the world discovers that one is suffering from a hematological malignancy, it is very important to send the message that every blood donor is a friend of cancer patients and that patients are not alone in the fight for life.

How it is marked

On the initiative of the World Health Organization and the Union for International Cancer Control, every year, starting in 2000, the fourth of February is World Cancer Day. The goal is to draw attention to the global awareness of malignant diseases, the enormous importance of prevention and the spread of knowledge about diagnosis and the treatment process. Positive results can be achieved by motivating each community and individual through various programs and education.

Education and prevention are the first steps in creating a cancer treatment program that the governments of the countries designed and signed in February 2000 in Paris when the "Paris Charter" was adopted. In 2005, the Union for International Cancer Control, a non-governmental organization based in Geneva, joined this important project.

According to available data from leading organizations, one third of malignant diseases can be prevented. Another third can be cured completely if the disease is detected at the beginning and properly treated with all available medical means. Constant research and innovation are helping to reduce the number of cases, although the numbers are still dramatically high.

The situation in Serbia

Men are most often affected by lung, prostate and colon cancer. Women mostly from cervical, breast, lung, pancreatic and colon cancer. In accordance with the associations that initiated the World Cancer Day, a program of screening, testing, open discussions and lectures is currently underway in Serbia.

World statistics say that about a third of deaths are directly related to five risk factors related to behavior and nutrition, which are high body mass index, low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, lack of physical activity, and alcohol and tobacco use.