26.11.2025

Cancer is omnipresent and yet for many it remains an abstract risk. Statistically, one in two people will be diagnosed with this disease in the course of their lives. Breast, bowel, lung and skin cancer are among the most common forms, and each individual diagnosis can turn a person's life upside down in a single moment. Nevertheless, the idea that this disease "only affects others" often prevails. This disparity between the statistical fact and personal perception is a key problem: those who do not take the danger seriously do not take advantage of the opportunities for prevention and risk the disease progressing unnoticed.

This is exactly where Cancer Prevention Day on November 28 comes in. It is a reminder that prevention and early detection are not abstract concepts, but tangible possibilities. Every missed screening appointment is a moment in which a disease can develop unnoticed. At the same time, the day shows how companies, research institutions and politicians are working to make prevention accessible and understandable for everyone.

Focus on early detection and prevention

The day of action was launched in 2022 by the AOK community together with the German Cancer Society to raise public awareness of the importance of early detection examinations. Christina Ruckert, Head of the Outpatient Care Division at AOK Bayern, emphasizes: "Early detection can save lives." AOK Bayern supports its approximately 4.6 million policyholders with transparent information, a wide range of screening services and digital offerings that help to organize appointments more easily and identify individual risks earlier. For Ruckert, cancer prevention means: "Taking responsibility - for your own health and for a common goal: detecting cancer early, treating it better and, in the best case, preventing it." Her aim is clear: to break down barriers, strengthen knowledge - and measurably increase participation in preventive examinations. After all, prevention only works if it reaches people, becomes a matter of course in everyday life and no one is left behind due to uncertainty or organizational hurdles.

Prevention starts with routine

Every single person can make an important contribution to preventing cancer and protecting their own health in their everyday life. After all, prevention begins long before you go to the doctor. Actively reducing risk factors in everyday life lays the foundation for cancer prevention and at the same time makes early detection easier if it does become necessary. As Professor Claus Belka, Deputy Director of the Bavarian Center for Cancer Research (BZKF) and Director of the Radiation Clinic at LMU Klinikum München, emphasizes: "A cancer that you don't have to detect early because you have prevented it is of course better than one that you detect early". He goes on to explain the relevance of education: "The most important thing is to show the public how cancer can be prevented. And as boring as that sounds, it's always the same factors - UV light, alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity plus the lack of HPV vaccination. If you take action here, you can prevent a significant proportion of tumors.

This is where the BZKF comes in with an HPV vaccination campaign. In 2023, however, the HPV vaccination rate across Germany was only 55% for 15-year-old girls and 34% for 15-year-old boys. If you look at Scandinavian countries such as Denmark or Sweden, the vaccination rate is significantly higher at almost 90 percent. The HPV vaccination not only prevents cervical cancer, but also head and neck tumors as well as anal carcinomas, all of which are caused by HPV infection. Another of the BZKF's flagship projects in the fight against cancer is "Wir bewegen Bayern" (We move Bavaria). The project shows how prevention works in everyday life, with the aim of raising public awareness of self-efficacy, physical activity and avoiding obesity. Every step we take to actively improve our health can reduce the risk of cancer.

A modern and simple skin cancer check

But prevention alone is not enough. In cases where cancer does develop, early detection is crucial. As Felix Michl, Managing Director of checkupbox, explains, early detection plays a decisive role, especially in the case of skin cancer: "Skin cancer is particularly curable if it is detected early. Early screening therefore makes a lot of sense and helps to avoid later treatment."

Malignant changes to the skin are one of the most common types of cancer in Germany: Every year, between 200,000 and 300,000 people are diagnosed with both white and black skin tumors. The number of cases has continued to rise in recent years, meaning that the need for skin cancer screenings is also constantly increasing. Checkupbox GmbH provides an innovative service for this.

The screening is simple, precise and patient-friendly: after booking an appointment, patients complete a medical history form and have full-body images of their skin taken using a medical photographic device. Areas that are difficult to access, such as the soles of the feet or between the fingers, are also captured. The amount of clothing worn can be chosen individually. The scan takes just under two and a half minutes. Based on these images, additional high-resolution microscopic images are taken of conspicuous areas using a dermatoscope, which can be magnified up to 80 times and allow dermatologists to look into deeper layers of the skin.

An AI then creates an initial risk assessment. Doctors then analyze the digital images. "The images are made available to doctors asynchronously - in other words, at a time that suits them," explains Michl. This saves medical professionals time and allows them to focus on medically relevant cases. For people requiring treatment, this means fewer waiting times and rapid clarity about their own state of health. The AI does the preparatory work in the background, while the medical professionals make the final decisions, using human judgment and experience. Michl emphasizes: "Doctors are ultimately responsible for the findings - AI does not replace them."

Digital platforms for individual support

Preventive care does not stop as soon as patients leave the practice. To be truly effective, it must accompany everyday life, be individually tailored and actively involve the person receiving care. This is where the digital platform myoncare comes in: It connects doctors, healthcare professionals and sufferers on a single platform and ensures that every treatment, prevention and follow-up is coordinated, personalized and accompanied in the long term. The app supports patients throughout the entire treatment process - before, during and after treatment. This program provides them with individually tailored tasks, so-called "pathways", which are tailored to the respective risk profile, personal medical history and family history. "We can work with patients in a very personalized way. This means that it is not an app that is the same for all users, but acts according to incoming parameters," explains Christian Hieronimi, founder of My on Care.

It takes into account not only the cancer, but also accompanying illnesses and lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, sleep, stress management and social contacts. The app documents symptoms, reminds users of appointments, enables video consultations and immediately forwards abnormalities to the treating doctor in a secure and networked environment. Hieronimie adds: "I can see that work will be much more patient-focused in future. By this I mean that preventive care will be personalized - we won't be applying the 'one size fits all' principle, but rather the 'one fits all' principle." This creates a virtual, collaborative cancer center."

Hieronimi also emphasizes what really matters in life and prevention beyond apps and pathways: "The most important thing is to surround yourself with friends. You live longer in good company." Preventive care therefore means not only medical measures, but also being there for each other.

Politicians appeal for use of the service

Cancer prevention is also relevant at a political level. A spokesperson for the Bavarian State Ministry of Health, Care and Prevention emphasizes: "Cancer is still the second most common cause of death. That is why we are campaigning for people to take advantage of the opportunities for early detection and prevention! The statutory health insurance funds cover the costs of these important examinations, which help to prevent diseases from developing in the first place or to detect them early enough to ensure a good chance of recovery." This makes it clear once again that cancer prevention is not a one-off event, but a continuous process, a combination of personal responsibility, modern medicine and social support. Every single step counts: be it vaccination, a conscious lifestyle, regular check-ups or the use of digital support. With the Master Plan for Prevention, which Health and Prevention Minister Judith Gerlach presented at the beginning of October, the state government and a broad alliance for prevention in Bavaria want to support citizens wherever possible. Find out more at www.stmgp.bayern.de/vorsorge/

Health as the result of conscious action

Cancer prevention is a task that affects each and every one of us. It starts with small everyday decisions, continues with regular check-ups and is supported by innovative technologies. Prevention and early detection are not abstract concepts, but concrete measures that can save lives. Continuous further development is essential here. The Bayern Innovativ GmbH network is also committed to this and constantly promotes the development of new, innovative solutions that show how accessible and practical cancer prevention can be today and how innovative approaches can simultaneously strengthen the healthcare system and advance the healthcare industry in Bavaria. They benefit from the close exchange between them: knowledge and experience are continuously passed on, new ideas are jointly developed and synergies are utilized. This results in solutions that directly benefit people, improve medical care in the long term and sustainably strengthen the innovative power of the Bavarian healthcare industry.

Cancer Prevention Day is a reminder that we must, should and, above all, can take action. Those who take responsibility take advantage of the opportunities offered by medicine, reduce the burden on the healthcare system and improve their own quality of life. In the end, prevention is not a one-off step, but an ongoing process that shows: Health is the result of conscious action, professional support and social cohesion.