The global cancer burden is projected to rise significantly over the next three decades, with annual new cases expected to reach 34 million by 2050, according to the latest GLOBOCAN estimates.
The report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialised cancer agency of the World Health Organisation, estimated that 20.6 million new cancer cases and 9.8 million cancer deaths were recorded globally in 2024.
The projection means global cancer cases could increase by 67 per cent from the 2024 figure, while annual cancer deaths could rise to about 17.5 million, representing an increase of nearly 80 per cent.
The estimates were contained in the GLOBOCAN 2024 report released as IARC marked its 60th anniversary. The report examines cancer incidence and mortality across countries, regions, age groups and sexes.
According to the estimates, men accounted for 10.6 million of the new cases recorded in 2024, while women accounted for 10 million. Men also represented 56 per cent of the estimated cancer deaths, compared with 44 per cent for women.
Head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC, Freddie Bray, said the figures demonstrated the disproportionate impact of cancer on men.
“One in nine men and one in 13 women die from cancer,” Bray said, attributing the difference partly to variations in cancer types and poorer outcomes associated with cancers affecting men.
The report identified major geographical differences in cancer incidence and mortality, with population size, ageing, exposure to risk factors and unequal access to healthcare contributing to the disparities.
China accounts for about one-quarter of global cancer cases and deaths, while Europe, despite representing only 9.2 per cent of the world’s population, accounts for more than 20 per cent of cancer incidence.
IARC said standardised cancer incidence rates could vary threefold between countries, while mortality rates could differ by as much as fivefold.
Countries including Australia and Denmark recorded some of the highest incidence rates, while some of the lowest were found in parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
Bray said the disparities reflected differences not only in cancer risk but also in early detection, diagnosis and access to effective treatment.
“To simply maintain current numbers of cases and deaths, we would need a 2 percent decline in both incidence and mortality every year, and we are nowhere near that,” he warned.
Lung cancer remained the world’s leading cancer in both incidence and mortality. It was also identified as the leading cause of cancer deaths in 89 countries, particularly among men.
Breast cancer remained among the most frequently diagnosed cancers globally. Excluding China, it was the most commonly diagnosed cancer across all Human Development Index categories.
Among women, breast cancer was the most frequently diagnosed cancer in 164 countries and the leading cause of cancer death in 122 countries.
Prostate cancer, meanwhile, was the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in 123 countries, partly reflecting increased diagnostic testing.
In sub-Saharan Africa, breast and cervical cancers account for more than half of cancers among women, while infection-related cancers contribute significantly to preventable cancer cases.
IARC warned that continued tobacco use, ageing populations and persistent inequalities in cancer prevention and treatment could further increase the burden.
Beyond the rising global cancer cases, the report highlighted weaknesses in cancer surveillance systems.
IARC said only one in three countries currently provides high-quality cancer incidence data, while just one in four has reliable mortality information.
The agency warned that these data gaps make it harder for governments to determine the scale of their cancer burden, plan healthcare services, allocate resources and evaluate interventions.
The Union for International Cancer Control said the estimates should prompt countries to strengthen national cancer control plans and increase investment in prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment.
It noted that about half of cancer deaths are considered avoidable through established measures such as tobacco control, vaccination, screening and equitable access to effective treatment.
Meanwhile, the WHO’s Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, which also draws on GLOBOCAN 2024 data, found that progress against cancer remains uneven globally.
The report highlighted continuing gaps in prevention, diagnosis and treatment, as well as healthcare-system constraints that delay access to timely care.
It also documented the financial hardship associated with cancer and the consequences of late diagnosis for patients and their families.
With global cancer cases expected to continue rising, the latest projections point to growing pressure on health systems unless countries accelerate prevention, improve early detection and expand access to effective cancer treatment.
