The World Cancer Day is celebrated annually on February the 4th by the initiative of the International Union Against Cancer (UICC).

Its purpose is to increase the people's awareness about cancer, as  one of  the most serious diseases of our time, as well as to draw public attention to its prevention, detection and treatment. After all, you can achieve good results, and in some cases – a complete abstinence.

In a frame of the initiative, a three-year campaign called "Closing  the Care Gaps" was implemented, started in 2022. The first year of the campaign was dedicated to understanding and recognizing in equalities in access to the cancer treatment. The second year of the campaign is dedicated to uniting of individuals, organizations, communities, human rights defenders and politicians in calls for a change and action.

Unfortunately, Ukraine ranks second in Europe in terms of  the rate of the cancer spread. Every year, more than 160,000 residents learn that they are the cancer patients. Malignant neoplasms affect every fourth man and every sixth woman in Ukraine, while the chance of getting sick increases significantly after the age of 50. Cancer, as a cause of the death, ranks second in the mortality structure of the country's population and, together with cardio-vasculardiseases, determines the level of health of our compatriots.

The programs for the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of malignant neoplasms are being developed at the state level with the active participation of the Department of Oncology staff. Special attention is paid to sanitary and educational work, training of general specialists with the introduction to the extended course in the "Clinical Oncology" specialty into the program to improve diagnosis and early detection of malignant neoplasms. With the participation of the Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, as part of continuous professional development, the programs arebeing developed for the formation of oncological competence of doctors of various specialties.

Remember, that cancer prevention is the  most cost-effective method for its fighting – it leads to significant savings in treatment costs, increases the life expectancy and quality of life of patients, as well as prevents suffering from these diseases.