Cancer continues to be a major public health challenge across the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer remains the leading cause of death globally, claiming approximately 10 million lives in 2022. Lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach and liver cancer are the most common types of cancer in men, while breast, colorectal, lung, cervical and thyroid cancer are the most common among women.
Every year, February 4 is marked as World Cancer Day to raise to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. World Cancer Day is led by the Union for International Cancer Control to support the goals of the World Cancer Declaration, written in 2008.
The theme for World Cancer Day 2025, “United by Unique,” underscores the significance of personalised, patient-centred care in the battle against cancer. It highlights the necessity of tailoring treatment to meet the unique needs of each individual.
The first year of United by Unique campaign, which will span three years, officially kicked off, November 4 in anticipation of World Cancer Day. The campaign will explore various aspects of people-centred cancer care and introduce innovative approaches to making a difference. Over the next three years, it will guide the journey from raising awareness to driving action. The initiative aims to build a collective narrative that underscores the significance of compassionate, personalized care. Ultimately, it seeks to inspire meaningful and lasting change, showing that everyone plays a role in improving cancer care.
Ulrika Årehed Kågström, President of UICC, Secretary General of Cancerfonden (Swedish Cancer Society) said that as we launch the ‘United by Unique’ campaign on people-centred care, let’s focus on the power of our collective efforts. Each of us brings a unique perspective and strength to improve the quality of and access to cancer services. By working together and putting people at the heart of cancer care, we can make a real difference.
This approach also highlights the significance of social connections, involving families and communities beyond the clinical environment. By engaging these relationships, people-centred care provides more holistic and humane
care that addresses the individual’s physical, mental, and emotional needs.
Ultimately, this approach to cancer care fosters a community-driven model, improving health literacy, supporting self-care, and ensuring that health systems respond to the real-life needs of the populations they serve. The slogan ‘United by Unique’ emphasizes that every person has a distinct story, set of needs, perspectives, and circumstances that must be considered when designing care and health systems. At the same time, it highlights the collective unity of the cancer community in its shared goal of taking action against cancer.
The World Cancer Day website has been updated with new branding for the campaign, designed to raise awareness of the unique needs of people living with cancer, all united in their efforts to manage their condition in the way that best suits them.
Cary Adams, CEO of UICC said that on 4 February, we will come together once again to mark World Cancer Day – a day of unity, action, and hope. The World Cancer Day theme ‘United by Unique’ places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the conversation. Every individual facing cancer has a unique story, a unique experience – and yet, we’re all united by our shared commitment to create a world where we look beyond the disease and see the person before the patient.”
Last year, World Cancer Day saw 900 activities and events in more than 127 countries, with 138 iconic landmarks illuminated across the globe. The hashtag #WorldCancerDay trended globally on X, with over 27,000 press mentions in 159 countries and more than 500,000 social media posts shared.