Nepal, along with the rest of the world, observed World Cancer Day last Wednesday. Marked annually on February 4, the day aims to raise awareness about cancer, emphasising prevention, early detection and timely treatment through a range of activities worldwide. The global campaign gained momentum following the adoption of the Paris Charter Against Cancer at the “World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium” held in Paris in 2000. Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 10 million people died from cancer in 2020 alone, meaning one in every six deaths worldwide was attributed to the disease. Breast, lung, colorectal and prostate cancers are the most commonly diagnosed types. Nearly one-third of cancer-related deaths are linked to tobacco use, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, low intake of fruits and vegetables and physical inactivity. In recent years, worsening air pollution has emerged as another major risk factor, particularly for lung cancer. The core message of World Cancer Day is clear: most cancers can be cured if detected early and treated effectively. More importantly, World Cancer Day poses a critical question each year—how prepared are we to fight cancer? While early diagnosis and effective treatment have significantly improved survival rates in developed countries, Nepal’s situation remains deeply concerning. According to 2022 data from the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN), around 70 percent of cancer patients in Nepal die without receiving a timely diagnosis. The annual addition of 20,000–25,000 new cases and the death of 14,000–16,000 patients within a year highlight serious shortcomings in the country’s health system. Doctors attribute the high mortality rate primarily to the fact that 80–90 percent of patients seek medical care only at an advanced stage.
Blood Cancer Society Nepal conducts charity event for blood can...
The problem is further compounded in remote areas, where many people rely on home remedies, faith healing, and traditional practices, allowing the disease to progress unchecked. Lung, breast, cervical, intestinal, colorectal, prostate and stomach cancers are most prevalent in Nepal, with risks exacerbated by obesity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and chemically processed foods. Limited diagnostic facilities, the need to send patients abroad for certain tests, shortages of skilled health workers, poor access to essential medicines and the absence of an integrated national data system present additional challenges. Despite these obstacles, some encouraging initiatives are underway. Cancer treatment services have been expanded to all seven provinces, government hospitals have strengthened their capacity, free treatment for childhood cancer is being provided at five hospitals, and cervical cancer control programmes have been rolled out. The provision of HPV vaccines to 1.5 million adolescent girls is another significant step forward. Declaring the month of Falgun(i.e. mid-February to mid-March) as a free screening month, making expensive medicines available free of cost through public hospitals, and plans to install advanced imaging technologies such as PET scan machines—used to assess disease spread, staging and treatment effectiveness—,if fully implemented, could substantially improve access to care.
With Nepal’s transition to a federal system, cancer control strategies must be implemented down to the local level. A mandatory cancer registry across all provinces is essential to generate reliable national data and ensure evidence-based policymaking. Early screening at primary health centres, training health workers, and deploying mobile clinics to reach remote populations are equally critical. Sustaining these efforts, however, will require strong political commitment, adequate funding and effective monitoring. Awareness remains the first line of defence against cancer. Incorporating basic cancer education into school curricula, conducting continuous community-level campaigns and mobilising cancer survivors as advocates can significantly strengthen prevention efforts. Tobacco control, healthy diets, regular physical activity and balanced lifestyles must be elevated as national priorities. World Cancer Day is not merely a symbolic observance. It is both a warning and an opportunity. With timely diagnosis and effective treatment, Nepal can significantly reduce cancer-related mortality. This challenge demands decisive action and shared responsibility from the government, health professionals, stakeholders, communities and citizens alike—because the cost of inaction will only grow higher with time.
