Cancer cases to soar by 2050 amid deep global inequalities, WHO warns

Cancer cases are projected to rise by 66,7% by 2050 while access to care remains unequal between rich and poor countries, a new WHO report warns. Cancer cases are set to rise globally as people live longer, the population is growing and there are exposures to risk factors, such as pollution. But some countries will carry a higher burden than others, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO). The biggest increases are estimated in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions with 125.2% and 109.8%, respectively. Due to persisting inequalities, the greatest burden of cancer is foreseen in low- and lower-middle-income countries. That's because the global cancer picture is “one of profound inequity”. For example, five-year survival for breast and childhood cancer is over 85% in high-income countries but drops below 45% in low-income countries, according to WHO estimates. Major global deficits in access to cancer diagnostics threaten the capacity for timely detection and accurate staging, which in turn hinders appropriate treatment. Late-stage diagnosis remains the norm in many countries, even for cancers that could be detected early, the report noted. Major inequalities in cancer care are seen both between countries and within them, linked to educational level, urban or rural location, ethnicity, gender, and factors such as disability, indigenous status, and immigrant or displaced status. “Whether a person survives cancer should never depend on where they were born or what they earn,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The inequities documented in this report are not inevitable; they are the consequence of choices, and they can be reversed through stronger and unified action,” he said. But while the political commitments has strenghtened in the last years, it has been too slow, the WHO warns. What is the current situation? Currently, 82% of countries have national cancer control plans and scientific innovation is accelerating globally. However, these advances are not translating into life-saving actions at the pace required. "While we are seeing reductions in some cancer rates in countries that have implemented prevention policies, progress has been too slow," said Elisabete Weiderpass, director of WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). "The cancer profile is evolving, increasingly driven by rising rates of obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, and air pollution. Cancer prevention must remain a political priority." Currently, one in five people is at risk ot get cancer throughout their lifetime, while 92% of the population will have a close family member with a cancer diagnosis. In 2024, there were 20.6 million new cancer cases worldwide and an estimated 9.7 million deaths globally. It is the second leading cause of death, after cardiovascular disease. Among men, the most common cancers are lung and prostate; among women, they are breast and lung. To cut these trends, WHO calls on national authorities for stronger data and accountability frameworks to track progress and guide action; greater investment in implementation and sustained international collaboration, linking research, policy, and practice. “The choices we make now and in the coming years will shape the burden and the experience of cancer for years to come,” Tedros said.