In fact, more than one-third of all cancer cases worldwide - almost four million cases each year - can be prevented if we act on what we already know and apply that knowledge in our daily behaviour. Tobacco use, diet, nutrition and exercise, sun safety and vaccination against cancer-causing viruses - all play a role in influencing cancer risks. Simple changes in lifestyle are enough to curb cancers. World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 40 percent of all cancers are preventable.

Building awareness from childhood
World Cancer Day is an annual event being observing today (4th February) around the world. This year, World Cancer Day focuses on cancer prevention campaign entitled "Today's children, tomorrow's world". The aim of the campaign is to scale up awareness of what we can do to prevent cancer and to change people's behaviour under that light.

Healthy habits established early in lifetime have a significant impact in later years. Behaviour is usually formed before adolescence. The environment in which children grow up at home, school and in the community powerfully influences their behaviour later on, whether this regards tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke, diet and physical activity, or smart behaviour in the sun. For all these reasons, the "Today's children, tomorrow's world" campaign will focus on the young.

Parents have a key role in influencing healthy habits in their children. We need to help parents to understand the long-term benefits of a healthy lifestyle and to engage them as partners in cancer prevention activities that start early in life.

From a prevention perspective, there is strong justification for focusing the campaign on four main cancer-causing factors:

(1) tobacco and tobacco-free environments

(2) diet, alcohol and exercise

(3) preventing infections that may cause cancer; and

(4) being sun smart.

The campaign message globally consists of four key precepts:

1. Provide a smoke-free environment for children ("no smoking at homes or public place")

2. Encourage an energy-balanced lifestyle (regular physical activity and low-fat diet, avoid obesity)

3. Learn the facts about vaccinations (Hepatitis B Virus and Human Papiloma Virus)

4. Teach your children about harmful effect of exposure of excessive sunray.

Bangladesh: Cancer signals
There is not adequate statistics of the number of cancer patients in our country. A report by an NGO revealed that about 1,000,000 people are affected by cancer in Bangladesh and this number increases a staggering 200,000 every year. Out of these cancer patients 150,000 die annually.

Recently in a seminar, the eminent paediatricians form home and abroad told that 80 percent of the cancer affected children in the world are being getting cured through proper treatment while the scenario of Bangladesh is different.

They also said that there is one cancer affected child out of 600 children under 15 years in Bangladesh and if we could ensure proper treatment for the children, they might become cured.

But the treatment options for both adult and child are far behind the need. Lack of training, advance technology and facilities, lack of organisation are widely prevalent in the country which are making the cancer treatment difficult.

Misdiagnosis and maltreatment are also common. Current cancer treatment facilities of both private and the public sector can only serve 15,000 of these patients. A minority of the population can afford going abroad for treatment purpose. Treatment facilities of rest of the population remains in question. The lower- and middle-income group who cannot afford have to find facilities within the country.

Most often cancer is a fatal disease. It needs expensive medicine and long term therapy. It can cripple a person as well as his/her family.

It is a matter of great regret that there is no completely equipped and standard cancer care center in the country. So it is very important to take necessary strategy to prevent cancer and establish those services.

At first we should give priority and emphasise on preventive strategies as it is the cost effective and effectual way. We usually focus on the adult and building awareness among children remains in the back seat.

In this cancer day - parents, healthcare professionals and governmental decision-makers should be our target to raise awareness with proper information. Parents can make key efforts in the very beginning of their children's lives. But a major part of the campaign is also to raise awareness among government and policy level.

To boost and sustain the awareness programme, cancer prevention information should included in children's text book. All citizens of Bangladesh should proactively participate in the prevention of cancer and to help people struggling with this life threatening disease.