Cancer Starts as A Word, but It Lives on As an Echo.
While the world measures cancer in percentages and projections, the true reality of the disease is found in the quiet space between a clinical diagnosis and the courageous decision to keep living.
By Mirna Fahmy
What is its phrasing?
In the Egyptian language, cancer is often referred to as “the heaven’s illness,” among some factions–a phrase reflecting a sense of divine fate. In India, the terminology shifts toward the pragmatic or the urgent, with patients often stating, “I have a problem” or “This is a life-threatening situation.” These varied descriptors illustrate how different cultures categorize the gravity of a diagnosis.
Over time, many individuals adopt specific phrasing to help them cope and frame their experience in a more empowering light. Modern shifts in language have seen a transition from the aggressive “battle” or “war” metaphors of the past toward a focus on “presence,” with phrases like “living with cancer” or “focusing on living each day” prioritizing current quality of life. This power of optimism is further reflected in mantras such as “Every day is a chance to create a memory” or “Be thankful for this day,” which encourage patients to appreciate the smaller nuances of daily existence.
However, the language of illness remains complex; in many Western societies, the persistent use of euphemisms like “the C-word” continues to highlight the deep-seated fear and ominous nature that still surrounds the disease. Ultimately, the popular sentiment “Cancer is a word, not a sentence” captures a vital shift in perspective. It asserts that while a diagnosis is a part of one’s story, it does not define a person’s entire existence or guarantee a fixed, negative outcome.
Sources: Oncology Nursing News, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Blood Cancer United.
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The Number Is in Millions.
The scale of the disease is vast; in 2022 alone, an estimated 20 million new cancer cases were diagnosed worldwide. However, reflecting the shift toward “living with” the illness, approximately 53.5 million people were alive within five years of their diagnosis. These figures are projected to rise significantly, nearing 35 million new annual cases by 2050 as a direct result of global population growth and an aging demographic.
Demographically, the global average age at diagnosis sits between 65 and 66 years, with a slight variation between men (66.7) and women (64.7). These averages shift considerably depending on the cancer type and geographic region. For instance, the median age for a breast cancer diagnosis ranges from 49 in parts of East Asia and the Middle East to 59 in the United States.
Geographically, age-standardized cancer rates are highest in high-income nations: Australia (452–468 per 100,000 people), New Zealand (423–438 per 100,000 people) and Other High-Incidence Nations such as Ireland, Denmark, and the United States. Important to note that most of the elevated reported rates in Western nations are often a byproduct of more robust healthcare infrastructure and better detection methods, rather than purely biological factors.
Sources: WHO, National Library of Medicine, Stage at diagnosis (NIH), Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), Online Library, Data Pandas.
Its Origin Is Never Known nor Its Recovery.
On a global scale, lung cancer remains the most prevalent diagnosis, with 2.48 million new cases in 2022 alone—accounting for roughly 12.4% of all diagnoses when excluding non-melanoma skin cancers. Breast cancer follows closely as the second most common type, with 2.3 million cases primarily affecting women. These malignancies largely arise from DNA mutations triggered by a variety of carcinogens, ranging from tobacco smoke and UV radiation to environmental pollutants and infections. Notably, lifestyle factors such as poor diet, physical inactivity, and obesity account for over 40% of cases globally.
While the diversity of the disease means no universal “cure rate” exists, five-year survival figures offer a glimpse into the progress of modern medicine; survival rates reach as high as 88–97% for breast and prostate cancers in nations like the U.S. and Australia, though they drop significantly to 10–30% for lung and stomach cancers. These outcomes are inextricably linked to the stage of diagnosis, where localized, early-stage cancers see survival rates exceeding 80–90%, while Stage 4 diagnoses often see a sharp decline to under 30%.
Amid these daunting percentages, stories of individual resilience emerge as a “miracle to document.” The documentary Love Letter to Life captures such a journey through the eyes of Iman Dimalanta, a 21-year-old lymphoma survivor who meticulously journaled her thoughts throughout her entire experience. Despite the gravity of her diagnosis, Iman radiates an uplifting energy on screen, offering a lighthearted and joyful perspective that stands in stark contrast to the clinical nature of the disease. Her story is a vivid tapestry of the human condition: it paints a raw picture of the agony of treatment, the heavy silence of crying herself to sleep every night, and the profound grief of losing friends along the way.
Sources: Healthline, DKFZ, WCRF, Cleveland Clinic.
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Surviving Has Become a Battle?
The internal journey of a cancer patient is often as grueling as the physical one. Drawing a parallel to the experiences of Iman Dimalanta, patients frequently navigate high rates of anxiety and depression, affecting up to 30% and 25% of the population, respectively.
These emotional hurdles are often compounded by shock, social stigma, and body image disturbances resulting from intensive treatments. Factors such as a metastatic diagnosis or lack of a domestic partner can heighten the risk of depression, while a prolonged illness often fuels chronic anxiety.
These psychological markers frequently overlap with physical symptoms like fatigue, making a clear diagnosis and effective intervention more complex. However, patients often find a path through this distress via robust family support, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), prayer, and mindfulness. Adaptive strategies—such as positive reframing and journaling—have proven effective in stabilizing emotional health, whereas avoidant behaviors like denial often hinder long-term progress.
Even after the initial crisis, survivors face lingering psychological risks that peak in the first year but can remain elevated five years post-diagnosis, particularly for those with poor-prognosis cancers. Many survivors report a persistent sense of emptiness, survivor’s guilt, or “scanxiety”—the avoidance of follow-up check-ups due to fear. Yet, through this hardship, many achieve post-traumatic growth. This resilience is bolstered by global institutional support, such as Greece’s Day Centre in Athens, which has provided free psychiatric care since 2003, and U.S. institutions like MD Anderson and the Mayo Clinic, which integrate psychosocial services into standard oncology. Globally, the WHO-backed initiatives in Europe utilize screening tools like PROMIS to ensure that mental health care is tailored to the individual’s specific needs.
This message of solidarity is personified by Catherine, Princess of Wales, who has become a prominent advocate following her own diagnosis and treatment throughout 2024 and 2025. In early 2025, she became joint patron of the Royal Marsden Hospital, the very institution where she underwent her own chemotherapy. Her advocacy has been both practical and deeply symbolic, from launching the “Catherine’s Rose” fundraiser in May to her poignant visit to the Ever After Garden in December 2025. She even helped raise over £1.2 million for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Sources: TMS institute, NIH, Journals Plos, American Cancer Society, WHO, UICC, Mirror.
“To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey – I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand.”
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