Facts About Cancer
There are more than 100 types of cancers; any part of the body can be affected.
In 2005, 7.6 million people died of cancer – which accounts for 13 percent of the 58 million deaths worldwide.
20,000 people in the world die daily due to cancer.
1 in 8 deaths that occur in the world is due to cancer.
Cancer deaths outnumber deaths due to AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria combined.
More than 70 percent of all cancer deaths occur in developing and emerging economic countries.
Lifetime risk of an American man developing an invasive cancer is 45%.
Worldwide, the five most common types of cancer that kill men are (in order of frequency): lung, stomach, liver, colorectal and esophagus.
Worldwide, the five most common types of cancer that kill women are (in the order of frequency): breast, lung, stomach, colorectal and cervical.
Tobacco use is the single largest preventable cause of cancer in the world.
One-fifth of all cancers worldwide are caused by a chronic infection, for example human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer and the hepatitis B virus (HBV) can lead to liver cancer.
A third of all cancers could be cured through early detection and proper treatment.
Pain relief for patients could be improved if current knowledge about pain management and palliative care were applied.
Forty percent of most cancer cases are preventable by refraining from smoking, having a healthy diet, being more physically active and through the prevention of infections that may lead to cancer.