World Cancer Day aims to promote awareness on cancer as a public health issue and to strengthen actions towards improving access to quality care, screening, early detection, treatment and palliative care.
Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. Cancerous tumors spread into, or invade, nearby tissues and can travel to distant places in the body to form new tumors (a process called metastasis). Cancerous tumors may also be called malignant tumors. Many cancers form solid tumors, but cancers of the blood, such as leukemias, generally do not. Common types of cancer are:
- Breast cancer: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer. It mostly affects women and people AFAB. But about 1% of all breast cancer cases affect men and people AMAB.
- Lung cancer: Lung cancer is the second most common cancer. There are two types of lung cancer: non-small cell cancer and small cell lung cancer.
- Prostate cancer: This cancer affects 1 in 9 men and people AMAB.
- Colorectal cancer: Colon cancer and rectal cancer affect different parts of your digestive system.
- Blood cancers: Leukemia and lymphoma are the most common blood cancers.
Most cancers have four stages. The specific stage is determined by a few different factors, including the tumor’s size and location:
Stage I: The cancer is localized to a small area and hasn’t spread to lymph nodes or other tissues.
Stage II: The cancer has grown, but it hasn’t spread.
Stage III: The cancer has grown larger and has possibly spread to lymph nodes or other tissues.
Stage IV: The cancer has spread to other organs or areas of your body. This stage is also referred to as metastatic or advanced cancer.