Survival rates reveal deep divide between rich, poor nations
Nearly 40% of cases tied to preventable risks
Financial and emotional toll weighs heavily on patients and families
Abuja: Cancer is already claiming 26,000 lives every single day, and the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that annual new cases could climb to 35 million by 2050 unless urgent action is taken.
The warning comes in WHO’s Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, prepared with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The report shows 20.6 million new cases are diagnosed worldwide each year, but survival depends heavily on where patients live.
In wealthy countries, nearly nine out of ten women with breast cancer survive at least five years. In poorer nations, fewer than half do.
WHO Director‑General Tedros Ghebreyesus said no one’s chance of survival should be determined by birthplace or income. “These disparities are the result of policy choices, and they can be reversed,” he said.
The report also highlights the crushing financial and emotional toll. Almost half of patients face severe financial hardship, while more than half report mental health struggles. Caregivers often carry heavy emotional strain as well.
Regionally, Asia bears the largest share of the burden, accounting for more than half of global cases in 2024. Europe contributed 21 per cent of cases and 20 per cent of deaths, while many African and Asian countries recorded fewer cases but higher mortality rates.
Lung cancer remains the deadliest worldwide. Among men, prostate and colorectal cancers are common, while breast, lung and colorectal cancers dominate among women.
Alarmingly, nearly four in ten cases are linked to preventable risks such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, infections and physical inactivity.
IARC Director Elisabete Weiderpass warned that rising obesity, poor diets, inactivity and air pollution are pushing the cancer burden higher. Still, there have been gains: global tobacco use has dropped 27 per cent since 2010, and more countries now have national cancer control plans — up from 50 to 82 per cent.
Yet access to essential medicines remains limited in many low‑ and lower‑middle‑income countries. WHO is urging governments, development partners and stakeholders to strengthen universal health coverage and ensure equitable cancer care.
