4th February: World Cancer Day

4th February marks World Cancer Day, which is organised by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). The initiative aims to increase awareness about the risks of cancer as well as actions to prevent it, diagnose it (like screening and vaccination), and treat it.

2025 is the first year of the “United by Unique” campaign, which promotes a people-centred approach to cancer care. This approach is based on individuals and communities rather than just on the disease. The intent is to convey the idea that everyone’s experience with cancer is unique and that we need to create a type of care that goes beyond the disease and focuses on the person, not just on the patient. World Cancer Day is an important opportunity to reflect on what institutions and individuals can do in our fight against cancer. ‘United by Unique’ emphasises the importance of putting people at the centre of care.

In Italy, in 2024 (1), 390,100 new cancer diagnoses were made: 214,500 in men and 175,600 in women. These numbers are stable compared to the previous two years (391,700 in 2022 and 395,900 in 2023). This is mainly due to better therapies and the steady increase in the number of people who still live after being diagnosed with cancer: in 2024 they will be approximately 3.7 million. Moreover, half of the people who are diagnosed today recover and will have the same life expectancy as those who have not developed cancer.

Pathological Anatomy plays a decisive role in every stage of the disease, as the pathologist takes care of the patient from the very beginning. ‘A correct and complete anatomopathological diagnosis at the beginning of the disease’s course – explains Silvia Uccella, Director of the School of Specialisation in Pathological Anatomy at Humanitas University – allows to make the best therapeutic choices. During the patient’s ongoing clinical history, the pathologist is involved in the staging and monitoring of the disease and, most importantly, thanks to increasingly sophisticated molecular biology and genetic technologies, in the identification of specific therapeutic targets that can ensure effective tumor control.” At Humanitas, sophisticated “digital pathology” technologies are available and the largest commercially available gene panels can be used for in-depth and effective molecular analyses. In addition, cutting-edge technologies, such as patient-derived organoids, which allow reconstructing three-dimensional models of neoplasms to test new drugs and verify pathogenetic hypotheses, are being tested. “The team of physicians, biologists and technicians, together with the graduate school,” the expert informs” work in great synergy with clinical colleagues to ensure the best patient care.

An important role is played by nuclear medicine, which has made major advances and has changed a lot in the past decade. “Today, it has two cores: a diagnostic and a therapeutic one. Its diagnostic role has become more and more central thanks to the increased diffusion of large equipment such as PET and the availability of specific target radiopharmaceuticals,” explains Laura Evangelista, Extraordinary Professor of Nuclear Medicine Humanitas University, “and treatment with radiopharmaceuticals is an available option in some forms of tumors, including rare ones. In Italy there are few centers that can deliver this “precision” therapy that is also available in prostate cancer.” In Humanitas Cancer Center both options are available: by using radiopharmaceuticals it is possible to diagnose the presence of the disease, treat it and monitor the effectiveness of the treatment. “[Our group’s] great strength,” the expert continues, “is the availability of multidisciplinary teams that take advantage of all the necessary technologies to ensure the best care for patients. In addition, thanks to the strength of the interdisciplinary group and continuous research, the nuclear medicine team is collaborating with international groups with two goals: to provide innovative diagnostic/therapeutic strategies and to increase the quality of procedures.

In the oncology field there are increasingly more effective and more tolerable therapeutic options available, including nonpharmacological ones such as radiation therapy, which represents one of the cornerstones of the multidisciplinary and increasingly tailored approach to treatments. It also plays a well-established role in local tumour control and is evolving with new technologies, opening promising prospects for patients.

“With a view to continuous technological development,” reports Marta Scorsetti, Full Professor and Director of the School of Specialization in Radiotherapy, Humanitas University, “the Department of Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery has a state-of-the-art device for proton therapy. Thanks to its ability to focus radiant energy on the tumour with millimetre precision while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, it is establishing itself as an ideal solution for the most critical and difficult-to-treat situations.” The introduction of proton therapy represents a great opportunity and a great challenge that will necessarily require a strong multidisciplinary approach.  In addition, Adaptive Radiotherapy (ART) allows the treatment to be adapted, considering the patient’s anatomical variations or tumour response. – “This dynamic approach improves therapeutic precision, reducing side effects. – And she continues-another crucial advance is radiomics, which uses the analysis of large amounts of data extracted from radiological images to predict treatment response and identify biomarkers useful in personalizing treatment.”

In addition, new frontiers in radiotherapy are being explored through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into clinical processes to accelerate decision-making and optimize treatment efficacy, enabling a more rational use of resources. “A major contribution is coming from translational research that integrates clinical and laboratory studies to identify novel biomarkers, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), useful for monitoring disease and personalizing treatment,” she explains. ”These innovations, combined with increasing integration between disciplines, are transforming radiotherapy into an even more targeted, safe and effective treatment, significantly improving the treatment prospects and quality of life for cancer patients.

This global initiative brings people from around the world together to improve the awareness and knowledge of the risks associated with cancer, as well as actions to better prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer.

1 – I numeri del cancro in Italia 2024 – AIOM – Airtum