11 Facts You Didn't Know About Cancer

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February 4, 2014 1:00 PM

February 4th is the day set aside every year as world cancer day; it's a day that signifies the fight against cancer!

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in a part of the body. There are over 100 types of cancer ,its classification depends on the part of the body it affects (with cancer any part of the body can be affected).

Cancer is widely researched and while one can say there is no public/ definite cure for cancer there are developing successful treatments for the disease.

Every 4th February is world cancer day and it essentially reminds us of the need to prevent, manage and treat the disease that is cancer; it is also a day that educates us about the scurge.

There are facts you didn't know about cancer till now.

1) Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world causing about 22% of cancer deaths.

2) New reports on cancer have been linked to poor nutrition, obesity and physical inactivity.

3) The risk of getting cancer increases with age as anyone can develop cancer; most cases occur in middle-aged adults or older persons.

4) About 77 percent of all cancers are diagnosed in people 55-years or older.

5) Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women (Skin cancer surprisingly comes first in developed countries).

6) Women who have no children or who have their first pregnancy after the age of 30 have a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer than those who become pregnant while they are much younger.

7) Childhood cancers account for 1 percent of all new cancer diagnoses!

8) The most common types of cancer in men include prostrate, lung and colon cancer.

9) The most common types of cancer in women is breast, cervix and colon cancer.

10) Colon cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women. And retains the second leading cause of death among men and women combined.

11) Cancer is not just one disease; rather it is a set of diseases. Different agents cause each type of cancer.

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