Dhaka: World Cancer Day will be observed tomorrow to create awareness among people about the deadly disease. The day is observed under the leadership of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), a non-governmental organization formerly known as the International Union Against Cancer. The objective of celebrating the day is to raise awareness about this deadly and fatal disease and to encourage people to help those who are affected by it.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Global Cancer Observatory reported that 116,598 people died of cancer in Bangladesh in 2022, and 167,256 people were newly diagnosed with the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that 8.2 million people die of cancer worldwide every year. Notably, 105 million women are affected by breast cancer. However, 30 to 50 percent of cancer deaths can be prevented by abstaining from tobacco use.
According to a study by Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) projected for 2025, the involvement of tobacco use was found in nearly half (46 percent) of cancer patients in Bangladesh.