Early diagnosis and screening are the key themes of World Cancer Day, which takes place today.
Campaigners hope a three-year long public education campaign will help services identify more patients at an early stage.
Globally, last year, nearly five million cases of breast, cervical, colorectal and oral cancers could have been detected sooner – out of 18 million cases diagnosed in total, according to the Union for International Cancer Control.
It says improved detection of cancer could save 3.7 million lives annually.
Its chief executive Dr Cary Adams said: “This World Cancer Day, we want people to know that many cancers can be managed and even cured, especially if they’re detected and treated as early as possible.
"By detecting cancer at its earliest stage, we seize the greatest opportunity to prevent millions of avoidable deaths worldwide.”
The organisation’s president is Princess Dina Mired, of Jordan, said: “Cancer thrives on late presentation of the disease. The delay allows it to spread and cause damage totally unchallenged. That is why, on this World Cancer Day, I urge you all to?educate yourselves with the signs and symptoms of cancer and to not be afraid to seek help immediately."
World Health Organisation director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “For too many years, cancer has been considered too complex and too expensive to manage. The opposite is true. If we fail to respond decisively to cancer, the economic and social consequences will be astronomical.
"To win the fight against cancer, countries must ensure that services for the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cancer, as well as palliative care, are integrated into benefit packages as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.”
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