World Cancer Day

UICC World Cancer Day 

Sponsored by the Union for International Cancer Control, World Cancer Day, which is observed every year on February 4, aims to unite the world over cancer awareness in a positive and inspirational manner. The day is earmarked for spreading messages aimed at prompting people to take action, whether as part of a group or as individuals, in order to reduce the incidence of cancer around the world.

At a press conference, Prof. Lital Keinan-Boker, the Deputy Director of the Israel Center for Disease Control at the Israel Ministry of Health and Chair of the ICA Breast Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Committee, presented current data from the Israel National Cancer Registry, which tracks cancer incidence and mortality in Israel.

Below are the highlights of the data on cancer incidence and mortality in Israel and the world as presented at the press conference:

• Israel is in the lead with regard to the number of new patients per year compared to the OECD average, but falls below the average for mortality – an achievement due to early diagnosis and advanced, innovative treatment.
  
  
• Among Jewish men, two trends emerge over two different time periods. Between 1990 and 2007, there was a net rise in the incidence of cancer, with an annual increase of +0.9 percent. In contrast, between 2007 and 2015, there was a clear drop in the incidence of cancer, with an annual decrease of -3.3 percent. Among Jewish women, cancer incidence remained steady between 1990 and 2015. Among Arab men, two trends can be observed over two different time periods.
  
  
• Between 1990 and 2005, there was a net rise in the incidence of cancer, with an annual increase of +3.8 percent. However, between 2005 and 2015, there was a clear drop in the incidence of cancer, with an average annual decrease of -2.2 percent. Among Arab women as well, there were different trends over different periods of time: between 1990 and 2005, there was a net rise in the incidence of cancer with an annual increase of +4.3 percent, but between 2005 and 2015, the incidence remained steady.
  
  

• There is no evidence for a rise in the incidence of brain tumors over the last two decades, a period in which there was a significant increase in the use of mobile phones. Based on data analysis undertaken for the first time since the advent of widespread use of cellular devices (undertaken by the Israel National Cancer Registry at the Ministry of Health) and introduced at an ICA press conference, there has been no increase in the number of malignant brain tumors of any population group in Israel over the last two decades.
  
  

• Worldwide, there are about 8.8 million cancer deaths every year. Based on current UICC data, there are about 8.8 million cancer mortalities annually. About 70 percent of these deaths occur in countries with low to average incomes, i.e. developing nations, which are the least prepared and equipped to handle the burden of cancer.
  
  
  

  New Ad Marking World Cancer Day

  
  To mark World Cancer Day, observed on February 4, the ICA published a new ad in the newspapers addressed to patients, survivors, and their family members about the Association’s Information Center, which provides information on a vast range of topics related to cancer to the public at large free of charge.