Pakistan observes World Cancer day today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan joins the world in observing World Cancer Day today, with a renewed commitment to raising awareness about cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment.

The theme for World Cancer Day 2025-2027, “United by Unique,” highlights the need for collective action to tackle this life-threatening disease.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have pledged the nation‘s support for global efforts to combat cancer.

In the presidential message, President Zardari maintained that on this day, the vast challenges of cancer remind everyone of the problems and other opportunities to inspire hope through collective work, medical innovation, and resilience.

The prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, reiterated his government‘s commitment to the augmentation of cancer care infrastructure investment in research, and access to quality, affordable treatment.

He urged Pakistanis to seek timely medical consultations and screenings while underlining the public awareness imperative in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer effectively.

Cancer In Pakistan: A Looming Health Crisis

Currently, cancer is one of the primary looming public health concerns in Pakistan with reported high mortality rates and a rising number of cases annually. The following are some of the most common types of cancer diagnosed in the country:

Breast Cancer: It is one of the highest causes of death due to breast cancer in the world. It is the most common cancer among adult females.

Lip and Mouth Cancer: It is the second most common cancer in Pakistan and the most common among men, which is mostly associated with tobacco use.

Colorectal Cancer: It is a common cancer among both males and females.

Prostate Cancer: It is one of the leading cancers in adult males and needs more attention and early diagnosis.

Hodgkin Lymphoma: A prevalent type of cancer in children.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Another prevalent cancer among children in the country.