As World Cancer Day approaches, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), has just published its latest estimates (in English) regarding the global burden of this disease. Meanwhile, WHO published the results of a survey conducted in 115 countries, which showed that the majority of them are not adequately financing priority cancer and palliative care services under universal health coverage (UHC). ).
The IARC estimates, which are based on the best data sources available in countries in 2022, highlight the growing burden of cancer and its disproportionate impact on underserved populations. They underline the urgent need to correct inequalities in this area, everywhere in the world.
In 2022, an estimated 20 million new cases of cancer and 9.7 million deaths will be recorded. Furthermore, an estimated 53.5 million people are still alive within five years of being diagnosed with cancer. About one in five people develop this disease during their lifetime; approximately one in nine men and one in 12 women die from it.
Only 39% of countries that participated in the WHO Global Survey on UHC and Cancer provide essential cancer care services as part of funded essential health services for all citizens (“packages of services”). health benefits”). Furthermore, only 28% of participating countries provide such coverage for palliative care (including pain relief, not limited to cancer).
In 2022, the three main types of cancer are lung, breast and colorectal cancer.
New estimates available on the Global Cancer Observatory (GCO) website show that in 2022, ten types of cancer together accounted for around two-thirds of new cases and deaths from this disease worldwide. The data covers 185 countries and 36 types of cancer.
Lung cancer is the most common worldwide (2.5 million new cases, or 12.4% of total new cases). Breast cancer in women is in second place (2.3 million cases, 11.6%), followed by colorectal cancer (1.9 million cases, 9.6%), prostate cancer (1 .5 million cases, 7.3%) and stomach cancer (970,000 cases, 4.9%).
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths (1.8 million deaths, or 18.7% of total cancer deaths), followed by colorectal cancer (900,000 deaths, 9.3%), cancer liver (760,000 deaths, 7.8%), breast cancer (670,000 deaths, 6.9%) and stomach cancer (660,000 deaths, 6.8%). The fact that lung cancer has once again become the most common type is likely due to the persistence of tobacco consumption in Asia.
Differences in incidence and mortality appear between the sexes when looking at the global total. In women, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death; in men, it is lung cancer. Breast cancer is the most common in women, in the vast majority of countries (157 out of 185).
In men, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer are the second and third most common types of cancer, while liver cancer and colorectal cancer are the second and third leading causes of cancer death. In women, lung cancer and colorectal cancer rank second and third in terms of new cases and deaths.
Cervical cancer is the eighth most common cancer worldwide and is the ninth leading cause of cancer deaths (661,044 new cases and 348,186 deaths). It is the most common cancer in women in 25 countries, including many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Even taking into account the different levels of incidence, it is possible to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by strengthening the action of the WHO Initiative for the Elimination of Cervical cervical cancer (in English).
Striking inequalities based on the Human Development Index (HDI)
Global estimates highlight striking inequalities in cancer burden across human development, particularly for breast cancer. In countries with a very high HDI, one in 12 women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime and one in 71 women die from it. In low HDI countries, on the contrary, although one in 27 women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, one in 48 women die from it.
“The likelihood of being diagnosed with breast cancer is 50% lower among women in countries with the lowest HDIs, compared to those in countries with the highest HDIs. However, they are much more likely to die from the disease due to late diagnosis or insufficient access to quality treatment,” explains Dr. Isabelle Soerjomataram, Deputy Head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch of the IARC.
The WHO Global Health Benefits Package Survey also highlights deep global inequalities in cancer care services. For example, lung cancer services are four to seven times more likely to be included in health delivery packages in high-income countries than in those in low-income countries. On average, radiotherapy is four times more likely to be covered in a health benefit package in high-income countries. Across all services, it is for stem cell transplantation that these disparities are most glaring: in high-income countries, this treatment is 12 times more likely to be included in a health benefit package.
“The new WHO global survey highlights major inequalities and insufficient protection against cancer throughout the world, with difficulties in accessing essential treatments particularly glaring in low-income countries,” declared Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, Director of the Department of Noncommunicable Diseases at WHO. “WHO, including through its cancer initiatives, actively works with more than 75 governments to develop, fund and implement policies to promote cancer care for all. To amplify these efforts, the massive investments needed to correct global inequalities in cancer outcomes are urgently needed. »
The burden of cancer is expected to increase by 2050
More than 35 million new cases of cancer are expected to be recorded in 2050, an increase of 77% compared to the 20 million cases estimated in 2022. The rapid progression of the cancer burden is explained by aging and the growth of the population, but also by changes in exposure to risk factors, associated in certain cases with socio-economic development. Tobacco, alcohol and obesity are the main factors explaining the increase in cancer incidence, and air pollution remains one of the major environmental risk factors.
Regarding the burden in absolute terms, high HDI countries are expected to experience the greatest increase in incidence (4.8 million additional new cases predicted in 2050 compared to 2022 estimates). Proportionally, however, it is in countries with a low HDI (142% increase) and an intermediate HDI (99%) that the increase will be greatest. Likewise, cancer mortality is expected to almost double in 2050 in these countries.
“The impact of this increase will not be felt equally between countries with different HDI levels. Those with the fewest resources to manage their respective burdens will be hardest hit by the global cancer burden,” explains Dr.. Freddie Bray, Head of the IARC Cancer Surveillance Branch.
“Despite advances in early cancer detection and treatment and care, there are significant disparities in cancer treatment outcomes between high- and low-income regions, as well as within countries. Geographic location should not determine chances of survival. Tools exist to enable governments to give the necessary priority to cancer care and ensure that everyone has access to quality services at an affordable cost. This is not just a question of resources – it is also a question of political will,” said Dr. Cary Adams, who heads the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
Note to editors
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is the cancer agency of the World Health Organization. For more information, visit the IARC Global Cancer Observatory.