Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide taking over 8 million lives in 2015. The stats and figures are not enough to describe the grim situation of the deadly condition which is number one killer in developing nations and second in developed countries. World Cancer Day founded under the direction of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is an international day marked on February 4 every year to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. World Cancer Day 2018 has a tagline ‘We can. I can.’ Just like cancer can affect anyone and everyone, as a fightback ‘We can. I can.’ is a chance for an individual can do to make a difference. World Cancer Day: What is Palliative Care and Its Benefits? How is it Different from Hospice Care?

Cancer is defined as a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue. However, one would know that it is closely associated with the lifestyle. In fact, several study and research have proven that up to nine in 10 cancers are caused by environmental and external factors such as smoking, drinking, sun exposure and air pollution. Hence, it makes it extremely important for us to know as much about this preventable disease as possible. There are ten facts about cancer provided by World Health Organization (WHO) that one needs to know. World Cancer Day 2018: Here's How To Stay Ahead of Breast and Cervical cancer.

1. Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with approximately 14 million new cases in 2012.

2. The number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70% over the next 2 decades.

3. Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally and was responsible for 8.8 million deaths in 2015. Globally, nearly 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer.

4. Approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries.

5. Around one-third of deaths from cancer are due to the 5 leading behavioural and dietary risks: high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, and alcohol use.

6. Tobacco use is the most important risk factor for cancer and is responsible for approximately 22% of cancer deaths (2).

7. Cancer-causing infections, such as hepatitis and human papillomavirus (HPV), are responsible for up to 25% of cancer cases in low- and middle-income countries (3).

8. Late-stage presentation and inaccessible diagnosis and treatment are common. In 2017, only 26% of low-income countries reported having pathology services generally available in the public sector. More than 90% of high-income countries reported treatment services are available compared to less than 30% of low-income countries.

9. The economic impact of cancer is significant and is increasing. The total annual economic cost of cancer in 2010 was estimated at approximately US$ 1.16 trillion (4).

10. Only 1 in 5 low- and middle-income countries have the necessary data to drive cancer policy (5).

Breast cancer, Prostate cancer, Basal cell cancer, Melanoma, Colon cancer, Lung cancer, Leukemia and Lymphoma are most common types of cancer killing individuals globally. According to UICC, World Cancer Day aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness and education about cancer and pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action against the disease.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 04, 2018 09:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).