International Childhood Cancer Day
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International Childhood Cancer Day
ICCD is a national public initiative aimed at raising awareness of childhood cancer and expressing support for cancer children and adolescents, survivors and their families. The day encourages greater awareness and a better understanding of issues and concerns surrounding survivors and childhood cancer. It also highlights the need for all children with cancer to have more equal and fair access to treatment and care, everywhere.
Cancer prevention
About 30 and 50 per cent of all cancer cases can be prevented. Prevention provides the most cost-effective long term cancer control strategy. National policies and services should be introduced to raise awareness, reduce exposure to cancer risk factors, and ensure that the knowledge and help required to follow healthy lifestyles is available to the people.
Early Diagnosis
Early cancer diagnosis generally increases chances of successful treatment by concentrating on the earliest possible identification of symptomatic patients. Late-stage presentation of delays in accessing cancer care is common, especially in the lower resource settings and vulnerable populations. The effects of inadequate or insufficient cancer care are reduced risk of survival, higher patient morbidity and higher care costs, resulting in cancer deaths that can be prevented, and disability. Early diagnosis improves cancer outcomes by providing care as early as possible, and is therefore an important strategy for public health in all settings.
Diagnosis and Treatment
The main objectives of cancer diagnosis and treatment services are to cure or significantly improve patient life and ensure the best possible quality of life for cancer survivors. The most effective treatment plans are:
- Are provided in a equitable and sustainable way
- Are linked to early detection and accurate diagnosis and staging
- Adhere to evidence-based standards of care
Treatment programs should also ensure prompt and equal access to effective cancer therapy types with advanced disease but high cure potential, such as metastatic testicular cancer (seminoma) and acute lymph leukaemia in adolescents. Similarly, there is effective treatment for certain forms of advanced cancer, where the aims of treatment are to considerably improve survival and preserve good quality of life.