‘Not beyond us’ is this year’s theme for World Cancer Day. Accordingly, this year’s event serves to highlight the solutions already within reach for a proactive approach to fighting cancer across the continuum–from prevention to early detection to comprehensive care to survivorship.
“The goal for all of us is to ensure fewer people develop cancer, more people are successfully treated and that there is a better quality of life for people during treatment and beyond.” – Dr. Heather Bryant, VP, Cancer Control, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer
Cancer, by the numbers:
- There will be upwards of 18.1 million cancer survivors by 2020 (30 percent more than in 2010).
- It is estimated there will be about 1.6 million new cancer cases diagnosed in 2015, with prostate cancer and breast cancer leading the pack.
- As of Jan. 1, 2014, there were about 14.5 million Americans with a history of cancer—either as survivors or currently undergoing treatment.
- According to the World Health Organization, the number of new cases worldwide is expected to rise by about 70 percent across the next two decades.
- About one third of cancer deaths are linked to preventable behaviors, including diet, physical activity and tobacco and alcohol use.