World Cancer Day is a global healthcare initiative aimed at raising awareness of cancer. It has been observed every year on February 4th since 2000, with the aim of spreading awareness and educating people about its detection, treatment, and prevention. The World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium was held in Paris on February 4, 2000, marking the beginning of World Cancer Day.
On this day, people from various international and local organisations across the world unite to raise awareness about cancer and to emphasise the need for better screening, diagnostic tools, earlier diagnosis and advanced treatment options.
This year’s 2026 World Cancer Day theme is "United by Unique." It defines the crucial role of personalised, patient-centred care in the fight against cancer, highlighting the importance of tailoring cancer treatments to meet each individual’s unique needs.
Despite numerous advancements in understanding, diagnosing, and treating cancer, the number of newly diagnosed cancer cases continues to rise globally every year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), if the incidence of cancer continues to increase at this rate, the number of cancer-related deaths worldwide will exceed 16.3 million by 2040 (annual count).
However, according to the WHO, up to 40 per cent of cancer deaths are preventable. Therefore, raising awareness about cancer prevention has become a prominent goal for many cancer and health organisations across the world.
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), an international organisation dedicated to raising global cancer awareness, coordinates World Cancer Day, and the WHO and other international organisations support this effort. In observance of World Cancer Day, many health institutions and cancer centres make various educational publications and materials about cancer and cancer prevention available on their websites. In some places, World Cancer Day is marked with a parade or a local fundraising event, while some countries broadcast special television programs or radio shows about cancer during the week of World Cancer Day.
Considering the expensive nature of cancer treatment in India, the Union Budget 2026 has exempted basic customs duty on 17 key imported cancer drugs used in advanced treatments such as targeted therapies and immunotherapies. This decision aims to reduce the cost of treatment for patients, as duties contribute significantly to the retail prices of high-cost oncology drugs. While not exclusively cancer-specific, the government has increased overall healthcare spending, focusing on alleviating the financial burden of expensive treatments like cancer medications. The duty relief for cancer drugs is embedded within a larger strategy that also includes strengthening healthcare infrastructure, workforce training, and expanded biomedical manufacturing. Cancer treatment costs in India are often inflated by imported medications. Eliminating the customs duty will reduce this direct cost component, leading to lower out-of-pocket expenses for patients.
