World Cancer Day

World Cancer Day History

World Cancer Day, organised by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), aims to raise awareness about cancer for prevention, early detection, and timely treatment of this pervasive disease. This health event accentuates the essence of global unity in the fight against cancer. With the mission, "We can. I can", it highlights each individual’s role in reducing the global burden of cancer. It encourages all to understand that our daily lifestyle choices can contribute substantially to the prevention of cancer.

To contextualize the history and relevance of World Cancer Day to the European Union (EU), it's worth mentioning that it was established in 2000 at the World Summit Against Cancer held in Paris. Cancer represents a significant health challenge within the EU, with approximately 3.5 million new cases and 1.3 million deaths reported annually. Therefore, World Cancer Day embodies an essential platform for EU to spur opportunities for dialogue, propagate knowledge on cancer risks, and above all, advocate for effective policies and programs.

Within the EU, World Cancer Day campaigns are widely supported by various nonprofits, research centres, public health authorities and initiatives such as the "Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan". Events including educational seminars, fundraising activities, free screenings and public marches are held across member states aiming to inform and engage citizens in cancer prevention and control. Campaigns focus on making lifestyle changes, the importance of early detection, and advocating for equitable access to cancer services. World Cancer Day takes place every year on the 4th of February.

Top 9 Facts for 2026 World Cancer Day in the EU

• World Cancer Day 2026 is centered on the multi-year theme United by Unique, which emphasizes a people-centered approach to oncology by prioritizing the individual experiences and holistic needs of patients over a standardized medical model.
• For the 2026 observance, the specific campaign sub-theme is "Your story will change minds," an initiative that encourages Europeans to share personal cancer narratives to serve as powerful advocacy tools for influencing national health policies and improving care equity.
• A highlight of the upcoming 2026 campaign is the creative project 12 people. 12 cameras. 12 months., which features a collaboration with Fujifilm Europe to document the monthly realities of individuals from diverse backgrounds across the continent as they navigate the emotional and social challenges of the disease.
• In a significant move for European health policy, the European Cancer Screening and Early Detection Policy Summit is scheduled to take place in Brussels on February 17–18, 2026, to showcase final results from major EU4Health projects targeting earlier detection of lung, prostate, and gastric cancers.
• This summit will reveal implementation strategies for the SOLACE project for lung cancer, the PRAISE-U initiative for personalized prostate cancer screening, and the TOGAS program for gastric cancer prevention, all of which are designed to standardize high-quality screening across the European Union.
• Recent data released by the European Commission indicates that while cancer survival rates in the Union have increased by 12% over the last five years, cancer prevalence has risen by 24%, underscoring the urgency of the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan as it reaches its five-year implementation milestone.
• Medical breakthroughs expected to gain significant attention in 2026 include the anticipated European marketing authorization application for taletrectinib, a highly selective oral treatment for advanced ROS1-positive non-small cell lung cancer.
• European researchers are increasingly focused on the clinical rollout of personalized mRNA cancer vaccines, with ongoing trials in several EU member states aiming to prime the immune system to prevent the recurrence of various solid tumors.
• The Upside Down Challenge will return to social media platforms across Europe, inviting participants to post inverted photos or videos to symbolize the disruptive nature of a cancer diagnosis and to show solidarity with those whose lives have been turned upside down by the disease.

In the News and Trending in the EU for World Cancer Day

Top things to do in the EU for World Cancer Day

• Understand the risks of smoking and urge those that you know to quit smoking. Smoking accounts for 25% of all cancer deaths globally each year.
• Join the fundraising activities to support cancer victims, their families, and the continued research efforts to find a cure. Many communities offer Walks for the Cure and other types of fundraising events that can support cancer survivors or those who receive treatment.
• Learn to recognize some of the general signs and symptoms of cancer. Although they differ by the type of cancer, some of the American Cancer Society's general signs and symptoms are:
  1) the presence of an obvious mass (a bump)
  2) unexplained weight loss
  3) loss of appetite
  4) frequent fevers
• Read a book to learn more about Cancer:
  Ticking Clock: Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes - by Ira Rosen.
  The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer - by Siddhartha Mukherjee.
• Attend Conferences and Public Talks – Various medical and research institutions, as well as non-profit organizations, hold conferences and public talks on cancer awareness and recent research advances.