Global Cancer Cases Projected To Rise 77% To 35 Mn By 2050: WHO
The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has revealed that the world is bracing for a significant surge in new cancer cases.
The latest projections indicate that by 2050, the number of new cancer cases will skyrocket to over 35 million, a steep 77 per cent increase from the 20 million cases diagnosed in 2022.
Attributing this alarming rise to several key factors, the IARC points to the pervasive influence of tobacco, alcohol, obesity and air pollution. These elements, deeply intertwined with lifestyle choices and environmental conditions, are expected to be the primary drivers behind the anticipated global cancer epidemic.
The IARC stressed that the surge is a consequence of population aging, population growth and evolving exposure to risk factors linked to socioeconomic development. Among the high-income countries, an additional 4.8 million new cases are predicted in 2050 compared to estimates in 2022. However, the impact will not be uniform across the globe.
Countries with lower Human Development Index (HDI), as defined by the UN, are poised to bear the heaviest burden. Proportionally, these nations could witness a 142 per cent increase in cancer cases, while countries falling within the medium HDI range are projected to experience a 99 per cent rise.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, the IARC predicted that cancer mortality in lower HDI countries is set to nearly double by 2050.
