History Of Cancer Day And The Prediction Of An Increase In Future Deaths

Photo illustration (National Cancer Institute / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Every February 4, the world commemorates Cancer Day. This warning is to raise global awareness of cancer. World Cancer Day began in 2000 at the first World Summit Against Cancer, held in Paris, France.

Citing Britannica, Thursday, February 4, at the meeting, leaders of government agencies and cancer organizations from around the world signed the Paris Charter Against Cancer, a document containing ten articles outlining a commitment to global cooperation to improve the quality of life of cancer patients and sustainable investment in cancer patients. and advances in cancer research, prevention, and treatment.

Cancer awareness has become very important in the 21st century. Although there have been many advances in the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, the number of new cancer cases diagnosed each year globally continues to increase.

Predicting data

There were 8.1 million new cases diagnosed in 1990, 10 million in 2000, 12.4 million in 2008, and 14.1 million in 2012. The number of annual deaths worldwide from cancer also increased from 5.2 million in 1990. to 8.2 million people in 2012 to around 9.6 million in 2018.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), if the incidence of cancer continues to increase at a reported rate, the number of deaths worldwide from cancer will increase to more than 16.3 million by 2040. However, also according to WHO, as many as 40 percent of cancer deaths could be prevented.

As a result, raising awareness of cancer prevention has become a major goal of many cancer and health organizations around the world. World Cancer Day is here to represent the annual reaffirmation of the importance of this goal.

Cancer in Indonesia

Cancer is one of the biggest causes of death in Indonesia. According to research, cancer patients in Indonesia have also increased.

According to the Global Cancer Observatory, cited on the website of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, cancer patients in Indonesia in 2018 were 18.1 million new cases with a death rate of 9.6 million deaths. The data also stated that one in eight men and one in eleven women died of cancer.

Of this total, the highest incidence rate in women was breast cancer with a total of 58,256 cases (30.9 percent), followed by cervical cancer with 32,469 cases (17.2 percent), and ovarian cancer with 13,310 cases (7.1 percent).

Meanwhile, for men the largest case was lung cancer with 22,440 cases, colon and rectum cancer with a total of 19,113 cases, and liver cancer with 14,238 cases. Lung cancer is the most deadly type of cancer, followed by breast cancer, cervical cancer and liver cancer.

The Indonesian Ministry of Health has 4 pillars in treating cancer in Indonesia. The first pillar is related to health promotion, namely how the Ministry of Health provides health education to the public, especially for cancer prevention.

Meanwhile, the second pillar is about early detection. Even though they feel healthy, it is hoped that the community will carry out health checks at health service facilities. The third pillar, special protection such as vaccinations. While the fourth pillar is treatment. This is done by strengthening the hospital through complete medical facilities and equipment as well as providing expert doctors.