Eduard Abashiya, a lecturer at the Department of Psychology of the Dnipro Institute of PJSC HEI "MAUP," a lawyer, and a psychologist of the Amur-Nyzhnodniprovskyi district department of the branch of the State Institution "Probation Center" in the Dnipropetrovsk region, provides the following information. World Cancer Day is an international day observed on February 4 to raise awareness about cancer and encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal (malignant or benign) cells in any part of the body. There are several types of cancer, usually named after the organs or tissues where they form. The world is experiencing the highest incidence of this disease.

In 2000, World Cancer Day was established at the first World Summit Against Cancer held in Paris, France. At this summit, several leaders of government institutions and oncology organizations from around the world signed the Paris Charter Against Cancer. This was a document consisting of 10 (X) articles that outlined shared global commitments to improving the quality of life of cancer patients and continuously investing in research, prevention, and treatment of cancer.

Key Provisions of the Charter:

The stigma associated with cancer is a significant barrier to progress in both developed and developing countries and often causes:

• Excessive emotional trauma for patients and their families
• Bias and discrimination against employment of people with cancer and/or their full participation and contribution to society
• Associated financial difficulties and loss of productivity
• Poor communication and insufficient public awareness efforts
• An excessive sense of fatalism, which can negatively impact the willingness of governments, medical institutions, and private organizations to combat cancer.

The signatories of this Charter commit to better understanding and eliminating cancer-related stigma, decisively redefining the disease as a treatable biological pathology rather than a social condition.

A positive shift in public perception and concern about cancer and the millions of lives it affects will enable the full realization of each of the following priorities.

The signatories make a firm commitment to creating an optimal environment for innovation in cancer research.

Knowledge of cancer biology and the fundamental mechanisms by which cancer arises and progresses is the source of all advancements that have increased and will continue to increase the curability and quality of life of millions of people worldwide. Identifying new targets for detection, diagnosis, and treatment must accelerate if we are to succeed in the fight against cancer.

The signatories agree to advocate strongly for increased public and industry funding for fundamental research, to encourage, protect, and stimulate those engaged in innovation, and to expand opportunities for scientists to work in an intellectually free environment, continuously pushing the boundaries of modern knowledge.

Clinical research is the only means by which fundamental research becomes meaningful in people's lives. Breakthroughs in molecular biology or genetics cannot have any impact on cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment unless they are thoroughly evaluated and developed in clinical trials.

Despite significant progress in the fight against cancer, survival outcomes vary sharply worldwide—not only between countries, not only between cities, but even between institutions within the same city. The main reason for these discrepancies is substantial differences in treatment standards and access to quality cancer care, often resulting in excessive morbidity and mortality.

The signatories reaffirm Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which declares that every person "has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care." Given the widespread prevalence of cancer and its impact on society, the signatories commit to ensuring quality cancer care within the local economic context for all people. Thus, they strive to promote:

• Evidence-based medical practice and a clear definition of "quality medical care" based on all available scientific data
• Systematic development of guidelines based on the best available evidence for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and palliative care
• Proper prioritization of quality cancer care at every level of healthcare provision according to the overall disease burden
• Enhancing specialization in cancer treatment and better integration of care among medical disciplines
• Broad patient access to high-quality clinical trials.

According to estimates by the World Health Organization, by 2020, 20 million new cases of cancer were expected annually, with 70% of these patients living in countries that have less than 5% of the resources to combat cancer.

Cancer will continue to be an increasingly significant factor in the global burden of disease in the next millennium, despite the fact that many types of cancer can be prevented through tobacco control, diet, infection management, and environmental protection.

This reality underscores the need for public policies that support the fight against cancer and the urgent implementation of existing knowledge and technologies in basic cancer prevention to halt the growing wave of cancer incidence.

The signatories commit to:

1. Actively supporting existing cancer prevention programs worldwide and increasing awareness and commitment to cancer prevention among all population groups they represent.
2. Identifying opportunities to accelerate public education on tobacco control, dietary modification, infection control, and environmental protection.
3. Organizing industry and government support to improve cancer prevention through medical technologies where possible.

Recognizing the vast variability in resources and epidemiology across different countries, the signatories agree that each country should develop national cancer control strategies based on local needs and direct resources where they will have the greatest impact.

Since cancer knows no borders, and individual countries cannot address cancer issues in isolation, a new collaborative approach to research, advocacy, prevention, and treatment is necessary.

The signatories commit to developing unprecedented global networks and alliances to achieve the goals of this Charter. They also commit to ensuring that the objectives of this Charter are not abandoned after its signing:

1. Recognizing the declaration of all relevant institutions that February 4 will be observed as "World Cancer Day," ensuring that the Paris Charter remains in the hearts and minds of people worldwide every year.
2. Establishing permanent committees to prepare annual reports comparing progress on each of the Charter's articles.
3. Creating a global network of advocacy groups to encourage grassroots support for the Charter's articles within their communities.
4. Forming a global research organization comprising leading professional societies worldwide to facilitate the exchange of current knowledge across borders.
5. Mobilizing one million people worldwide to sign the Paris Charter by 2001, demonstrating their commitment to fighting cancer.