On the occasion of World Cancer Day, the WHO publishes estimates of this global burden. In 2022, 20 million new cases of cancer will be detected. And the organization expects an increase of 77% in 2050.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization – has just published the disease figures for the year 2022. Estimates which highlight two trends :
- the growing burden of disease (societal, financial, hospital, etc.);
- the disproportionate impact on populations poorly or poorly served by screening and access to care. Because of the 115 countries studied, 61% do not finance cancer services, which, for the populations concerned, is expressed on the ground by a lack of resources and infrastructure.
One in five people
In 2022, 20 million new cases of cancer and 9.7 million deaths have been recorded. “Around one in five people develop cancer during their lifetime“, estimate the IARC.”One in nine men and one in twelve women die from it.”
What cancers?
In fact, ten types of cancer accounted for two-thirds of new cases and deaths worldwide in 2022. Lung cancer remains the most common – and deadliest – with 2.5 million new cases (12.4%). . Followed by breast cancer (2.3 million cases, 11.6%), then colorectal cancer (1.9 million cases, 9.6%), prostate cancer (1.5 million cases , 7.3%) and stomach cancer (970,000 cases, 4.9%).
More than 35 million cases in 2050
But IARC estimates do not indicate an improvement in the figures. More than 35 million new cases of cancer are in fact predicted for 2050, an increase of 77% compared to 2022. An increase which reflects both aging and population growth. But also, and this is where it is possible to act, the still significant exposure of the population to avoidable risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, pesticides and obesity. Air pollution remains a key factor in environmental risks.
The impact of this increase will not be felt equally across the world. “Those with the fewest resources will bear the brunt of the global cancer burden“, deplores Dr Freddie Bray, head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC. “Despite advances in the early detection of cancers and in the treatment and care of patients, significant disparities exist not only between high- and low-income regions of the world, but also within countries. Where a person lives should not determine whether they can live.”
