The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has revealed new data estimates of the growing global cancer burden in line with World Cancer Day (4 February 2024).
The IARC’s Global Cancer Observatory, based on sources of data available in 185 countries in 2022, highlights the disproportionate impact of cancer on underserved populations and the need to address cancer inequities worldwide.
An estimated 20 million new cancer cases occurred in 2022 and 9.7 million deaths – ten types of which collectively comprised around two-thirds of new cases and deaths globally.
The three most commonly occurring cancers included lung cancer, which accounted for 12.4% of the total new cases, female breast cancer (11.6%) and colorectal cancer (9.6%).
Additionally, lung cancer accounted for 18.7% of the total cancer deaths, followed by colorectal cancer (9.3%) and liver cancer (7.8%).
Furthermore, WHO published survey results from 115 countries, which revealed that only 39% of participating countries covered the basics of cancer management as part of their financed core health services for all citizens, health benefit packages (HBPs).
Moreover, only 28% of participating countries additionally covered care for people who require palliative care, such as pain relief.
In countries with a very high human development index (HDI), one in 12 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and one in 71 women will die of it. In countries with a low HDI, only one in 27 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and one in 48 women will die from it.
WHO’s global survey also revealed that lung cancer-related services were four to seven times more likely to be included in HBPs in a high-income country compared to a lower-income country.
The largest disparity was seen in stem-cell transplantation, which was 12 times more likely to be included in a HBP of a high-income country than a lower-income country.
Dr Bente Mikkelsen, director, department of noncommunicable diseases, WHO, said: “WHO, including through its cancer initiatives, is working intensively with more than 75 governments to develop, finance and implement policies to promote cancer care for all.”