The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a subsidiary of the World Health Organization, shared the latest estimates of the global cancer burden, namely World Cancer Statistics, with the public in 2020. Prof. Dr. Bala Başak Öven, Medical Oncology Specialist, said that according to statistics, 233 thousand people were diagnosed with cancer in our country, of which 132 thousand were men (56.6%) and 101 thousand were women (43.4%), and stated, “According to these data, 360 men and 275 women are diagnosed with cancer every day and start their struggle.”

Stating that cancer has become an increasingly important health and life problem today. Expressing that although the mortality rate continues to decrease due to early diagnosis and treatment methods, it ranks second after heart diseases among the causes of death in men and women all over the world, Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Medical Oncology Specialist Prof. Dr. Bala Başak Öven once again drew attention to the fact that prevention of cancer is more important than treatment in cancer and shared important information on the occasion of "World Cancer Day".

According to the World Health Organization data, cancer cases continue to increase worldwide every year. Informing that one in 250 to 350 people is diagnosed with cancer every year in Western societies, Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital Medical Oncology Specialist Prof. Dr. Bala Başak Öven said, “In the group over the age of 60, it is seen that frequency of cancer increases and it rises to around 4-5 per 300 people. Although precise statistics are not available in our country, the incidence is estimated to be half of this.”

These Cancers Make Up More Than 50% Of All Cancers

Prof. Dr. Bala Başak Öven pointed out that the top 5 most common cancer types in our country are lung cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer, prostate cancer, and thyroid cancer and that these 5 cancer types account for more than 50 percent of all cancers, and continued her words as follows:

“Lung, prostate, bowel, bladder, and stomach cancers are in the top five ranks in men. In women, they are listed as breast, lung, bowel, and uterine cancers. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, and 1 out of every 8 women can get through breast cancer in their lifetime. With the increase in smoking among women, lung cancer is seen as the most common type of cancer that causes death for both sexes. With the widespread use of screening tests, the frequency of bowel cancers and breast cancers seems to have increased in recent years. However, at the same time, full recovery rates increase as patients can be diagnosed at earlier stages.”

3 Rules to Be Followed to Prevent Cancer

Prof. Dr. Bala Başak Öven pointed out that while the numbers are like this, one-fourth of the patients can still be diagnosed in the extensive stage and said that the importance of timely and accurate diagnosis is gaining more importance day by day. Stating, “Perhaps more important than the treatment of cancer is the prevention of cancer,” Prof. Dr. Öven said, “Within the scope of the three rules that must be followed to prevent cancer, avoiding cancer-causing substances, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet can easily reduce the incidence of cancer in half.”

“Cancer Became a Preventable and Treatable Disease”

Prof. Dr. Bala Başak Öven, Medical Oncology Specialist from Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital, said that cancer is now a preventable and treatable disease with the developments in diagnosis, screening tools, and treatment, and gave the following information:

“Especially in recent years, new target-oriented therapies and immunotherapies, which are groundbreaking in cancer treatment, can provide long life spans without deteriorating the quality of life of our patients. Patients who respond to immunotherapy can achieve higher survival rates.” Prof. Dr. Öven also drew attention to the fact that one out of every 3 patients, especially patients with lung cancer, has a survival of more than 5 years.

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