Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and accounted for 1.2 million deaths in the Americas (2008), 45% of which occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Each year on 4 February, PAHO/WHO supports the Union for International Cancer Control to promote ways to ease the global burden of cancer. Preventing cancer and raising quality of life for cancer patients are recurring themes of World Cancer Day.

This year World Cancer Day 2013 will focus on dispelling damaging myths and misconceptions about cancer, under the tagline “Cancer - Did you know?”.