Global cancer cases could nearly double to 35 million by 2050, warns WHO

Cancer cases worldwide could rise to nearly 35 million a year by 2050, almost double current levels, unless governments take urgent action to improve prevention, early diagnosis and access to treatment, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned in its latest Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, developed jointly with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

The report paints a sobering picture of the growing global cancer burden. Every year, an estimated 20.6 million people are diagnosed with cancer, while nearly 10 million die from the disease, making it the world's second-leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease.

According to the WHO, cancer currently claims more than 26,000 lives every day, and without decisive action, annual cases are expected to climb to almost 35 million by 2050.

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Cancer survival still depends on where you live

Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the report highlights stark inequalities in cancer care across countries.

While 87 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive for at least five years in high-income countries, survival drops to around 42 percent in low-income countries because of limited access to screening, diagnosis and treatment.

The WHO also noted that fewer than one in three countries include cancer care in their universal health coverage packages, leaving millions without affordable access to life-saving services.

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"Cancer is a deeply personal disease that touches nearly all of us. But whether a person survives cancer should never depend on where they were born or what they earn," said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

He added that the inequalities highlighted in the report are "the consequence of choices" and can be reversed through stronger global action.

The financial and emotional cost of cancer

Beyond its health impact, cancer continues to place enormous emotional and financial strain on patients and their families.

According to WHO's first global survey of people affected by cancer:

-At least 45 percent reported financial hardship.

-More than half experienced mental health challenges.

-Nearly all caregivers said they faced significant strain, including unpaid caregiving responsibilities and social isolation.

The findings underline that cancer is not merely a medical condition but one that affects livelihoods, relationships and overall quality of life.

Asia bears the biggest cancer burden

The report shows that Asia accounted for more than half of all global cancer cases (50.7 per cent) and deaths (56.5 per cent) in 2024, largely because of its population size.

Europe, meanwhile, represented 21 per cent of global cancer cases and 20 per cent of deaths, despite accounting for only about 9 per cent of the world's population.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths globally. Among men, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers are the most common, while breast, lung and colorectal cancers account for the largest share of cases among women.

Many cancers can be prevented

One of the report's key findings is that nearly four in ten cancer cases worldwide are linked to preventable risk factors.

These include:

-Tobacco use

-Alcohol consumption

-Obesity

-Physical inactivity

-Unhealthy diets

-Air pollution

-Infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C, and Helicobacter pylori

Dr Elisabete Weiderpass, Director of IARC, said that although several countries have reduced certain cancer rates through preventive policies, progress remains too slow. "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," she said.

Progress has been made, but not enough

The report notes encouraging developments over the past decade. Global tobacco use has fallen by 27 per cent since 2010, while vaccination programmes against HPV and hepatitis, along with improvements in sanitation, have helped reduce infection-related cancers.

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Political commitment has also strengthened, with 82 per cent of countries now having national cancer control plans, compared with 50 per cent in 2010.

However, access to treatment remains highly unequal. The availability of essential cancer medicines ranges from 9–54 per cent in low- and lower-middle-income countries, compared with 68–94 per cent in high-income nations.

WHO calls for a people-centred approach

To tackle the growing crisis, the WHO has called on governments, healthcare providers, researchers and civil society to place people living with cancer at the centre of healthcare policies.

The report recommends integrating cancer care into universal health coverage, strengthening social protection for patients and caregivers, investing in healthcare workers, and ensuring equitable access to new treatments and innovations.

"The choices made today will shape the cancer burden borne by future generations," the WHO said, urging countries to make sustained investments in prevention, diagnosis and treatment to improve outcomes worldwide.