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What is Cancer
In today's world, everyone will be touched by cancer - as a person living with cancer, a family member or a friend.
Cancer is the generic term for a large group of diseases in which cells grow out of control and can spread to other parts of the body. Cancer involves a series of mutations or changes in the genetic make up of a cell, causing it to look and function differently from normal cells. Thus, cancer is actually a disease of the cell.
Normal body cells can reproduce themselves exactly, stop reproducing at the right time, stick together in the right place, self-destruct if they are damaged, and become specialized or 'mature'.
Cancer cells are different. They carry on reproducing. They don't obey signals from other neighbouring cells. They don't stick together. They don't become specialized, but stay immature. They don't die if they move to another part of the body.
General Cancer Facts
Breast Cancer Facts
Tobacco Related Cancer Facts
Viruses That Cause Cancer
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It is
estimated that in 2030 there will be 26 million cases of cancer worldwide.
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The majority of the global cancer
burden has shifted from westernised, developed countries to medium- and
low-income countries
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Because
of the aging population and adoption of "western" lifestyles the greatest
problems with cancer are found in the low- and middle-income countries.
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More than
half of cancer cases and 60% of deaths occur in the less-developed countries
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The global burden of cancer doubled
during the last 30 years of the last century.
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Less then 20% of the world's
population is covered by cancer registration
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The
Western Pacific area, compounded mostly of China, Japan and Korea, has the
highest incidence and mortality rate of 2008 with 3.7 and 2.6 million
respectively.
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The
Western Pacific area, compounded mostly of China, Japan and Korea, has the
highest projected rate of incidence and mortality in 2030 with 8.1 and 5.9
respectively.
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There are striking variations of
cancer patterns by site from region to region
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In males in
developed countries, Prostate Cancer is the most common cancer with almost 3
cases per every 500 persons.
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In females in
developed countries, Breast Cancer is the most common cancer with over 3 cases
per every 500 persons.
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In males in
developing countries, Lung Cancer is the most common cancer with over 2 cases
per every 500 persons.
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In females in
developing countries, Breast Cancer is the most common cancer with over 2 cases
per every 500 persons
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In males in
developed countries, Lung Cancer has the highest mortality rate with over 2
deaths per every 500 persons.
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In
females in developed countries, Breast Cancer has the highest mortality rate with
almost 3 deaths per every 500 people.
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In males in
developing countries, Lung Cancer has the highest mortality rate with over 2
deaths per every 500 persons.
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In females in
developing countries, Cervix Cancer has the highest mortality rate with over 1
death per every 500 persons.
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A causal
association has been established between alcohol drinking and cancers of the
oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colon, rectum and, in women, breast.
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Over 20
years have passed since the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, and it is now
estimated that by 2065 there will be 16 000 cases of thyroid cancer and 28 000
cases of other cancers in Europe as a result of this accident.
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Sunlight is
by far the most significant source of ultraviolet irradiation and causes
several types of skin cancer, particularly in highly-exposed populations with
fair skin.
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Artificial
sources of ultraviolet radiation have become common in many countries, mainly
as sunlamps for indoor tanning purposed. Indoor tanning is associated with
increased risk of cutaneous melanoma and of squamous cell cancer when exposure
started before 30 years old.
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