Overview
- An updated Global Burden of Disease analysis in The Lancet Oncology estimates 2.3 million cases and 764,000 deaths in 2023 and forecasts more than 3.5 million cases and roughly 1.4 million deaths annually by 2050.
- Age‑standardised mortality fell about 30% in high‑income countries from 1990 to 2023 but nearly doubled in low‑income countries, where incidence rose an estimated 147% and treatment capacity often lags.
- The study attributes 28% of healthy years lost in 2023 to six modifiable factors: high red meat intake, tobacco and secondhand smoke, high blood sugar, high body mass index, alcohol use, and low physical activity.
- New‑case rates among women aged 20–54 have increased 29% since 1990, signaling a faster rise in pre‑menopausal disease even as overall incidence remains higher in older women.
- Regional snapshots highlight both scale and gaps: the Middle East and North Africa recorded about 128,000 cases and 41,100 deaths in 2023, India logged roughly 203,000 cases after a fivefold rise since 1990, and many low‑resource settings face shortages of radiotherapy, diagnostics, and affordable drugs.