© WHO/ANNO/S. Oliel A woman undergoes a mammography examination at a health facility in Mexico. WHO warns: Cancer cases could nearly double by 2050 Healthcare
Unless countries take urgent action to strengthen prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, the number of new cancer cases worldwide could increase to almost 35 million per year by 2050. This is stated in a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). The authors also point to disparities in survival rates for cancer patients in low- and high-income countries.
Ten million deaths per year
The Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, prepared jointly with the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a specialized agency of WHO, states that cancer already claims 26,000 lives every day. With approximately 20.6 million new cases and nearly 10 million deaths worldwide each year, cancer is the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease.
The report authors note that despite progress in tobacco control, expanded vaccinations and advances in prevention, millions of people still face serious inequalities in access to life-saving health care. help.
“Cancer is a deeply personal disease that affects almost all of us in one way or another. But a person’s chances of survival should not depend on where they are born or how much they earn,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“The inequalities highlighted in this report are not inevitable. This is the result of decisions made and can be overcome through stronger and more concerted action,” he added.
Inequality is rising
Survival rates vary significantly depending on a country’s income level, according to the report. For example, in high-income countries, 87 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer live at least five years after diagnosis. In low-income countries, the rate is only about 42 percent.
Yet less than a third of the world’s countries include cancer treatment in universal health coverage programs, leaving many patients without access to needed diagnosis, treatment and palliative care.
WHO also draws attention to the severe social and economic consequences of the disease. The first global survey of people facing cancer found that at least 45 percent experienced significant financial hardship; more than half report mental health problems; Almost all family caregivers face significant burdens, including unpaid care and social isolation.
Differences between regions
Asia accounted for more than half of all cancer cases and deaths in 2024, primarily due to its large population region.
Europe, home to only about nine percent of the world’s population, accounted for 21 percent of all new cancer cases and 20 percent of deaths, indicating a disproportionately high burden.
In many countries in Africa and parts of Asia, the incidence remains relatively low, but the mortality rate is much higher.
The Deadliest Cancer
Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of death among all cancers. In men, the most common cancers are lung, prostate and colorectal cancer. The most common cancers diagnosed in women are breast cancer, lung cancer, and colorectal cancer.
In 2024, there were approximately 2.4 million new cases of breast cancer and 694 thousand deaths associated with the disease worldwide.
Breast cancer occurs in all countries of the world and can develop in any woman after pregnancy puberty, with the risk increasing with age.
Prevention remains key
WHO estimates that nearly four out of ten cancer cases are due to preventable risk factors. These include tobacco and alcohol use, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, and infections caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B and C viruses. WHO stresses that prevention efforts must take into account new risk factors. “We are seeing a decline in the incidence of some cancers in countries with prevention programs, but progress remains too slow,” said Elisabeth Weiderpass, director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
“The pattern of cancer is changing, with rising obesity, lack of physical activity, unhealthy diets and air pollution playing an increasingly important role. Therefore, cancer prevention must remain a policy priority,” she stressed.
Achievements and remaining challenges
The report’s authors note a number of important advances over the past decade: declining smoking rates, expanding vaccination programs, and strengthening political commitment to fighting cancer.
Today 82 percent of countries have national cancer control plans. By comparison, in 2010 there were only 50 percent of such countries.
At the same time, access to life-saving medicines remains extremely uneven. In low- and lower-middle-income countries, availability of 20 priority cancer drugs ranges from only 9 to 54 percent, compared with 68 to 94 percent in high-income countries. their families.
“Cancer is not just a medical diagnosis. It has a profound and lasting impact on every aspect of a person’s life and that of their loved ones,” said Clarissa Schilstra, a childhood cancer survivor who participated in the WHO global survey.
She called on policymakers to do more to involve people with lived experience of cancer in developing more equitable and effective health policies.