By: Dr. Deborah Mukherji

Consultant Medical Oncologist

Clemenceau Medical Center Hospital – Dubai

World Cancer Day: United by Unique — Early Detection Saves Lives in the UAE

Each year on 4 February, the world marks World Cancer Day, a global initiative to raise awareness and strengthen action against cancer. The 2026 theme, “United by Unique,” recognises that while every individual’s cancer risk and journey are different, collective efforts in prevention, screening, and early diagnosis can save lives.

Dr. Deborah Mukherji-Consultant Medical Oncologist-Clemenceau Medical Center Hospital – Dubai

This message is particularly relevant to the United Arab Emirates, where cancer incidence is rising alongside population growth, longer life expectancy, and changing lifestyle patterns. Of increasing concern is the global and regional rise in early-onset cancers, with growing numbers of breast, colorectal, thyroid, and prostate cancers diagnosed in adults under the age of 50. This trend underscores the urgent need for awareness, personalised risk assessment, and timely screening.

Cancer prevention begins well before diagnosis. Lifestyle modification plays a critical role in reducing cancer risk, particularly in younger populations. Avoiding tobacco, maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activity, limiting alcohol consumption, adopting a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fibre, and managing metabolic conditions such as diabetes are all proven strategies to lower the risk of several common cancers. Vaccination against cancer-related infections, such as HPV and hepatitis B, is another powerful preventive tool.

Alongside prevention, cancer screening enables detection of disease before symptoms develop, often at an early and curable stage. Evidence-based screening tools—such as mammography for breast cancer; Pap smear and HPV testing for cervical cancer; colonoscopy and stool-based tests for colorectal cancer; PSA testing for prostate cancer; and low-dose CT scans for lung cancer in high-risk individuals—have been shown to significantly reduce cancer-related mortality.

The UAE is well positioned to meet this challenge. The country offers world-class diagnostic infrastructure, including advanced imaging, molecular pathology, genetic testing, and increasingly innovative screening approaches such as risk-adapted screening, liquid biopsy technologies, and AI-supported imaging analysis. These advancements support earlier detection and enable a more personalised approach to cancer care, fully aligned with the “United by Unique” philosophy.

Early diagnosis not only saves lives but also reduces treatment intensity. Cancers detected at an early stage often require less aggressive therapy, fewer side effects, and allow patients to maintain a better quality of life. In contrast, late-stage disease places a heavier physical, emotional, and economic burden on individuals and healthcare systems.

On this World Cancer Day, the message is clear: prevention, screening, and early detection must go hand in hand. By embracing healthy lifestyles, engaging in appropriate screening, and leveraging the UAE’s advanced diagnostic and treatment capabilities, we can detect cancer earlier—when it is most treatable—and improve outcomes for all.

Cancer may be unique to each individual, but through prevention and early detection, we are united in saving lives.