World Cancer Day 2025: Exploring the theme, significance, and history

World Cancer Day 2025’s theme, “United by Unique,” emphasises the need for tailored, patient-centred treatment in the fight against cancer.

Globally, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain a significant public health concern.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 10 million people will die from cancer in 2022, making it the world’s top cause of death.

In men, the most frequent cancers are lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach, and liver cancers; in women, the most common cancers are breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, and thyroid cancers.

World Cancer Day is observed annually on February 4th to increase public awareness of cancer and to promote its identification, prevention, and treatment.

The Union for International Cancer Control organises World Cancer Day to promote the objectives of the 2008 World Cancer Declaration.

The theme for World Cancer Day 2025, “United by Unique,” highlights the need for personalised, patient-centred treatment in the battle against cancer. It underlines how critical it is to tailor care to each patient’s specific needs.

The fact that this topic is a component of a three-year campaign that focuses on the individual experiences of cancer patients, survivors, and carers and runs from 2025 to 2027 is remarkable.

The effort advocates for more individualised treatment techniques while promoting empathy, compassion, and diversity in cancer care.

During the World Summit Against Cancer in Paris on February 4, 1999, World Cancer Day was officially established. World Cancer Day was formally established the following year, on February 4, 2000, when the Charter of Paris Against Cancer was signed during the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium.