National Cancer Awareness Day is observed on November 7 every year. It is observed to create awareness about cancer prevention and early detection.
National Cancer Awareness Day was first announced in September 2014 by the then Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan. November 7 is the birthday of Nobel laureate Marie Curie. Marie Curie, along with her husband Pierre Curie, discovered radioactivity; a finding that paved the way for both the diagnosis (via X-rays) and treatment of cancer (radiation therapy) in medicine.
What is Cancer?
Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body.
Cells are the building blocks of our body. The human cells grow and multiply to form new cells. The cells also die when they become old or damaged and new cells will take their place. When this orderly process is somehow affected and the abnormal or damaged cells grow and multiply, they form tumors or lumps of tissue. Some of these tumours can be cancerous which may spread into nearby tissues and may also form tumors in other parts of the body.
Cancer in India
The National Cancer Control Programme was initiated in 1975, to provide cancer treatment facilities in India. The programme was modified in 1984-85 to provide thrust to prevention and early detection of cancer. The number of cancer cases in India is on the rise. In India, nearly 1.1 million new cases are being reported annually. According to the report released by the ICMR and the Bengaluru-based National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research, in India, the total number of cancer cases in men is estimated to be 6,79,421 in 2020 and may reach 7,63,575 in 2025. According to Medical News Today, the country with the lowest cancer incidence and death rate is India (source)
Let's raise awareness among people around us and educate them about cancer, various methods to identify the symptoms of cancer, how to prevent it and its treatments
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