Tobacco, alcohol, air pollution… more than 35 million new cases of cancer predicted for 2050

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization – has just published disease statistics for the year 2022. Estimates that highlight two trends:

• increasing burden of disease (social, financial, hospital, etc.);
• Disproportionate impact on underserved or underserved populations through screening and access to care. Of the 115 countries studied, 61% do not finance cancer services, which is expressed on the ground by a lack of resources and infrastructure, for the relevant population.

One in five people

In 2022, 20 million new cases of cancer and 9.7 million deaths are reported. “About one in five people will develop cancer during their lifetime“, estimate IARC.”One in nine men and one in twelve women die from it“

What cancer?

In fact, ten types of cancer accounted for two-thirds of new cases and deaths worldwide in 2022. Lung cancer is the most common – and deadliest – with 2.5 million new cases (12.4%). This is followed by breast cancer (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%).

More than 35 million cases in 2050

But IARC’s estimates do not show an improvement in the numbers. In fact more than 35 million new cases of cancer are predicted for 2050, an increase of 77% compared to 2022. An increase that reflects both aging and population growth. But, and this is where it is possible to act, the population is still significantly exposed to avoidable risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, pesticides and obesity. Air pollution is a major factor in environmental hazards.

The impact of this increase will not be felt equally across the globe. “Those with the fewest resources will bear the brunt of the global cancer burden“, laments Dr Freddie Bray, head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC.”Despite advances in early cancer detection and treatment and care for patients, significant disparities exist not only between high- and low-income regions of the world, but also within countries. Where a person lives should not determine whether he can live or not“