World Cancer Day 2025: facts
Key facts about cancer, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), include:
- 19.3 million new cases of cancer are detected annually with this number increasing annually.
- 10 million is the estimated number of cancer deaths worldwide every year.
- 40% of cancer related deaths are caused by modifiable risk factors such as smoking or alcohol and could be prevented,
- 1 in 3 cancer related deaths could be prevented by routine screening and early detection and treatment.
- 30-50% of all cancers can be prevented. The risk of cancer can be reduced through a healthy lifestyle, preventative examinations, early detection and treatment for precancerous lesions.
What is Cancer?
Cancer is a disease that arises when cellular changes in a group of normal cells causes a uncontrolled, abnormal growth and division of cells. All cancers except blood cancer (leukaemia) form a visible growth that is called a tumour. If left untreated, cancer cells can occur in a particular area and then spread through the blood and lymph nodes to surrounding normal tissues and other parts of the body. The cancer cells are consuming oxygen and nutrients that would normally feed other cells and affect the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems or release hormones that affect body functions.
What Risk Factors can affect cancer?
Various risk factors contribute to the cause of cancer. Some of these factors cannot be influenced, while we can actively control others, such as our diet.
Non-modifiable risk factors include a higher age, cancer-causing substances (carcinogens), a genetically inherited high risk for a specific cancer and weakened immune systems.
Modifiable risk factors include consumption of alcohol or tobacco, bad nutrition, low physical activity, overweight, ionising radiation and workplace hazards.
Signs and symptoms of Cancer
Early detection of cancer
There are a number of cancers which can be identified early which helps to improve the chances of successful treatment outcomes, often at lower costs and with fewer (or less significant) side effects for patients. There are cost-effective tests that help detect colorectal, breast, cervical and oral cancers early and further tests are being developed for other cancers.
For more information visit The Irish Cancer Society Website or The World Cancer Day website.