WHO Warns Global Cancer Cases Could Double By 2050

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that annual cancer cases could rise to nearly 35 million by 2050 unless governments strengthen prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and access to care.

The warning is contained in the WHO Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, produced jointly with the International Agency for Research on Cancer and disclosed on WHO’s X handle on Wednesday.

The report said cancer currently accounts for about 20.6 million new cases and nearly 10 million deaths annually, making it the world’s second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease.

It added that cancer claims more than 26,000 lives daily, while millions of patients and their families face physical, emotional and financial challenges.

The report projected that without urgent action, annual cancer cases would increase by almost 70 per cent to nearly 35 million by 2050.

It attributed the rise largely to preventable risk factors including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C, and air pollution.

WHO said major inequalities continue to affect access to cancer care globally.

It noted that while 87 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive at least five years in high-income countries, survival falls to about 42 per cent in low-income countries.

The report also found that fewer than one in three countries currently include cancer care in their universal health coverage packages.

The report quoted WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, saying, “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.”

The report also revealed that WHO’s first global survey of people affected by cancer found that at least 45 per cent experience financial hardship, more than half face mental health challenges, while almost all caregivers report significant strain, including unpaid care responsibilities and social isolation.

Regionally, Asia accounted for more than half of global cancer cases and deaths in 2024, while Europe recorded a disproportionately high burden despite having only about nine per cent of the world’s population.

Although Africa reported relatively lower cancer incidence, the report said mortality remains high due to limited access to quality care.

The report identified lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.

Among men, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers are the most common, while breast, lung and colorectal cancers account for a significant share of cases among women.

WHO said progress has been recorded through a 27 per cent decline in tobacco use since 2010, wider vaccination coverage and improved national cancer control plans.

However, it warned that access to essential cancer medicines remains critically low in many low- and middle-income countries.

Director of IARC, Elisabete Weiderpass, said gains in cancer prevention have been too slow, warning that rising obesity, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and air pollution are changing the global cancer profile.

WHO urged governments, development partners, civil society and the private sector to adopt a people-centred approach to cancer control by integrating cancer services into universal health coverage, strengthening social protection for patients and caregivers, and ensuring equitable access to research, innovation and life-saving treatment.