Global Cancer Cases Projected To Rise By 67 Per Cent By 2050 – WHO Report

Global cancer cases are projected to increase by 67 per cent by the year 2050, according to the latest GLOBOCAN report released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The report indicates that annual new cancer cases could rise from 20.6 million in 2024 to 34 million by 2050. Over the same period, annual deaths from the disease are expected to increase by nearly 80 per cent, moving from 9.8 million to 17.5 million globally.

In 2024, men accounted for 10.6 million of the new cases and 56 per cent of total deaths, while women accounted for 10 million cases and 44 per cent of deaths. According to the report, one in nine men and one in 13 women die from cancer worldwide, reflecting differences in cancer types and survival rates.

Significant regional disparities exist in cancer distribution. China currently accounts for a quarter of global cases and deaths, while Europe accounts for over 20 per cent of global cases despite making up less than 10 per cent of the world’s population. Highest diagnosis rates were recorded in nations such as Australia and Denmark, while mortality rates peaked in Eastern Europe and Melanesia.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of both cancer diagnoses and deaths worldwide. For women, breast cancer is the most common diagnosis across 164 countries, while prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed among men in 123 countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, breast and cervical cancers make up over half of all cases among women, with infections driving 80 per cent of preventable cases in the region.

The agency noted that reversing these trends will require significant improvements in prevention, early detection, and healthcare access, alongside better global data collection, as only one in three countries currently maintains high-quality cancer records.