HQ Team
February 6, 2024: A projection from the Global Cancer Observatory suggests that new cancer cases worldwide are set to surge by a staggering 77% by 2050.
Factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, and air pollution are driving the alarming increase, alongside significant disparities in cancer care between high and low-income countries.
Cancer prevalence
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which released the report, says four common cancers are prevalent across different regions such as lung, breast, colorectal, and prostate. Lung cancer stands out as both the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2022. Persistent tobacco use in regions like Asia has been cited as a major contributing factor to this troubling statistic, with an estimated 2.5 million new cases and 1.8 million deaths recorded in the same year.
Breast cancer follows closely as the second most common cancer globally, with 2.3 million cases reported in 2022. Colorectal cancer and prostate cancer round out the top four, highlighting the diverse landscape of cancer burden across different regions.
The IARC research, published every two years, covers 185 countries and 36 cancers with data drawn from countries themselves.
Resource disparity
Despite these grim projections, perhaps even more concerning are the significant disparities in cancer care and treatment outcomes between high and low-income countries. Wealthier nations with a high human development index (HDI) are expected to experience the greatest absolute increase in cancer cases by 2050. However, it is low and medium HDI countries that face the most striking increase in cancer incidence, with a projected 142% and 99% rise, respectively.
Dr. Freddie Bray, head of cancer surveillance at IARC, emphasized the disproportionate burden faced by countries with limited resources, stating, “Those who have the fewest resources to manage their cancer burdens will bear the brunt of the global cancer burden.”
The release of the Global Cancer Observatory coincided with World Cancer Day on February 4th, serving as a stark reminder of the urgent need for equitable access to cancer care and treatment worldwide. Despite progress in cancer detection and treatment, significant disparities persist, particularly in low-income regions where late diagnosis and unaffordable treatment remain major obstacles to improving survival rates.
Efforts to address these challenges are underway. However, Dr. Cary Adams, head of the Union for International Cancer Control, stresses the need for political will and investment to ensure that access to affordable, quality cancer services is not determined by geographic location or socioeconomic status.
As the global community grapples with the looming cancer crisis, prevention, early detection, and equitable access to treatment will be crucial in mitigating the impact of this growing public health challenge.
