The number of new cancer cases worldwide could rise to almost 35 million a year by 2050 unless countries take urgent action to strengthen prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday, according to UN News. Published on 8 July 2026, the Global Status Report on Cancer 2026 was produced with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialised WHO agency. The report highlights stark inequalities in cancer survival between high and low-income countries. It warns that survival should not depend on where a person is born or their income level. Coordinated global action is needed to reverse projected trends.
Cancer already causes more than 26,000 deaths every day, with an estimated 20.6 million new cases and nearly 10 million deaths annually. It is the world’s second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease. While progress has been made in tobacco control, vaccination and cancer prevention, millions still face major inequalities in access to life-saving care. Fewer than one in three countries currently include cancer care within their universal health coverage packages. This leaves many patients without essential diagnosis, treatment or supportive care.
Survival rates differ sharply between rich and poor countries. While 87 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive for at least five years in high-income countries, the figure falls to around 42 per cent in low-income countries. In 2024, Asia accounted for more than half of all cancer cases and deaths, reflecting its large population. Europe, with only around nine per cent of the global population, recorded 21 per cent of cancer cases and 20 per cent of deaths. Many countries in Africa and parts of Asia continue to experience lower incidence rates but significantly higher mortality.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Among men, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers are the most common, while breast, lung and colorectal cancers account for a large share of cases among women. In 2024, there were an estimated 2.4 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 694,000 deaths globally.
“Cancer is a deeply personal disease that touches nearly all of us. But whether a person survives cancer should never depend on where they were born or what they earn,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
He added that the documented inequities are not inevitable and can be reversed through stronger and unified action.
WHO estimates that nearly four in 10 cancer cases are linked to preventable risk factors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and infections such as HPV and hepatitis B and C. National cancer control plans are now reported by 82 per cent of countries, compared with 50 per cent in 2010. However, availability of the 20 priority cancer medicines ranges from just 9 to 54 per cent in low and lower-middle-income countries, compared with 68 to 94 per cent in high-income countries. WHO said cancer control must move beyond medical treatment alone by placing people living with the disease and their families at the centre of health systems. The agency urged policymakers to work more closely with those who have lived experience of cancer to design more equitable and effective health policies.
