Cancer Overview and Global Burden

Cancer Overview

• Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by abnormal cell growth.
• Cells can spread (metastasize) from the primary site to other parts of the body.
• Tumour growth depends on nutrient and oxygen delivery, facilitated by angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation).

Global Cancer Burden

• Approximately 18.1 million new cancer cases and 9.6 million deaths occur annually.
• One in five (20%) men and one in six (17%) women develop cancer during their lifetime.
• One in eight men and one in eleven women die of cancer.
• Worldwide, the five-year prevalence is approximately 43.8 million.

Cancer in Asia

• Asia accounts for nearly 60% of the global population and a large proportion of new cancer cases and deaths.

UK Cancer Rates

• The UK ranks 13th globally in cancer rates.
• Approximately 367,000 new cases and 165,000 deaths occur annually in the UK.
• Breast, prostate, lung, and bowel cancers make up more than 50% of all new cases.
• 36% of diagnosed cancers are in people aged 75+.
• 50% of cancer patients survive for 10 years or more.

Tumour Types (Benign vs. Malignant)

• Benign: Cells do not invade surrounding tissue and do not metastasize. Often encapsulated and resemble the original tissue type. Relatively harmless.
• Malignant: Cells invade and metastasize to distant sites. 85% are carcinomas (epithelial cells). Can be leukemias or lymphomas (liquid). Poorly differentiated and fast-growing, resulting in poor outcomes.

WHO Global Cancer Incidence (2018)

• Africa: 5.8%
• The Americas: 21%
• Europe: 23.4%
• Oceania: 1.4%
• Asia: 48.4%

Survival Rates (Five-Year Survival)

• Data shows varying survival rates for different cancer types (e.g., lung, bowel, stomach, pancreas) across different countries.

Cancer Classification

• Carcinoma: Most common, arising from endoderm or ectoderm cells (e.g., lung, breast, colon).
• Sarcoma: Arises from mesoderm cells (e.g., bone, cartilage, fat, muscle).
• Lymphoma: Cancers arising in lymph nodes and immune tissues.
• Leukemia: Immature white blood cell cancers that develop in bone marrow and circulate in the bloodstream.

Cancer Causes

• Tobacco; Body weight; Physical inactivity
• Diet; Hormones; Sunlight
• Occupational carcinogens; Infectious agents (e.g., viruses, bacteria); Medical treatments
• Pollution; Genetic factors.

Cancer Symptoms

• Often asymptomatic in early stages.
• Symptoms vary depending on the specific cancer type (e.g., lung cancer: cough, chest pain, breathlessness; pancreatic cancer: weight loss, stomach/back pain; breast cancer: lump, size changes, discharge).

Metastasis Cascade

• Migration: Cells move away from primary site.
• Intravasation: Cells enter the circulatory system.
• Survival: Cells navigate through circulation.
• Arrest at distant site: Cells adhere to target tissue.
• Extravasation: Cells leave the circulatory system.
• Growth of secondary tumour.
• Colonization: Formation of a new tumour mass. (A series of events leading to dispersal, survival, and establishment of secondary tumors)

Angiogenesis

• The formation of new blood vessels, crucial for tumour growth beyond 1mm³.
• Tumours often hijack normal blood vessel development using growth factors.
• Normal angiogenesis is tightly regulated, whereas pathological angiogenesis has a less organised and more unstable blood vessel morphology.

Hallmarks of Cancer

• Key characteristics enabling cancer development, including resisting cell death, inducing angiogenesis, and evading growth suppressors.

This quiz covers the fundamental aspects of cancer, including its definition, global prevalence, and specific statistics related to cancer rates in Asia and the UK. Test your knowledge on the factors influencing cancer development and the impact it has on populations worldwide.