The impact will be felt disproportionately in low-income countries. The WHO’s cancer arm, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), estimates there will be more than 35 million new cancer cases by 2050, an increase of 77 per cent from 2022 levels, and that deaths will have nearly doubled since 2012 to more than 18 million.
The IARC said tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and obesity were key factors behind the increasing incidence of cancer, as well as population ageing and growth. Lower-income countries will experience the biggest proportional increases in cases. Cancer mortality in the latter countries is projected to almost double.
“The impact of this increase will not be felt evenly across countries,” said Dr Freddie Bray, head of the IARC’s cancer surveillance branch. “Those who have the fewest resources to manage their cancer burdens will bear the brunt of the global cancer burden.” According to the IARC, 10 types of cancer accounted for about two- thirds of new cases and deaths globally in 2022.
Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, accounting for 12.4 per cent of new cases and 18.7 per cent of deaths. Female breast cancer is the second most common form. Other major causes of death include bowel, liver and stomach cancer. Inequalities are particularly pointed in breast cancer. Women in lower-income countries are 50 per cent less likely to be diagnosed than women in higher- income countries.