Overview
- The World Health Organization and IARC published a global cancer report on Wednesday that records about 20.6 million new cases and roughly 10 million deaths in 2024.
- The report projects new annual cases could reach about 35 million by 2050 if current trends continue, driven mainly by population growth, ageing and ongoing exposure to preventable risk factors.
- Almost four in ten cancers are linked to modifiable risks such as tobacco, alcohol, obesity and infections, and the report notes measurable prevention wins including a 27% drop in tobacco use since 2010 alongside low HPV vaccine coverage.
- Large avoidable gaps persist: survival and stage at diagnosis are far worse in low‑income regions, many families face catastrophic health costs and only 39% of countries include basic oncology care in universal health coverage.
- The authors say accelerating vaccine rollouts, tobacco control, early detection, diagnostics, access to essential cancer medicines and inclusion of oncology in UHC are needed to change the projected trajectory and reduce human and economic harm.