A report published by the Lancet, a medical journal, projects that by 2050, about 30.5 million people will be newly diagnosed with cancer each year, representing a 61 per cent increase
It has also said that annual cancer deaths will rise by nearly 75 per cent, reaching around 18.6 million.
The increase, it said, would be mostly driven by population growth and ageing populations.
It said cancer deaths, an increase of about 75 per cent from 2024, would be greater in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared to high-income countries.
The report, published on the Lancet website on Thursday, was carried out by the Global Burden of Disease Study Cancer Collaborators and funded by the Gates Foundation, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
It stated that in spite of the decrease in global rates for cancer deaths (when adjusted for age), some low- and middle-income countries still have rising rates as well as numbers.
The report said in 2023, breast cancer was the most diagnosed cancer worldwide for both sexes combined, while cancers of the trachea, bronchus and lungs were the leading cause of cancer deaths.
It added that 46 per cent of cancer deaths in men were linked to preventable risk factors, mostly tobacco use, unhealthy diets, high alcohol consumption, workplace risks and air pollution.
For women, 36 per cent of leading risk factors were tobacco use, unsafe sex, unhealthy diet, obesity, and high blood sugar.
“Behavioural risk factors contributed to the most cancer deaths across all country income levels in 2023, especially tobacco use which contributed to 21 per cent of cancer deaths globally.
“Tobacco was the leading risk factor in all country income levels except low-income countries, where the leading risk factor was unsafe sex,” it said.
The report noted that the situation presented tremendous opportunities for countries to target these risk factors to prevent cancer cases and save lives, alongside improving accurate and early diagnosis and treatment to support affected individuals.
According to the report, France, New Zealand, and the UK are among the top countries and territories with the highest incidence rates of cancer in 2023, while Greenland, Mongolia, and Uruguay have the highest mortality rates.
It stated that the top five cancers recorded in Nigeria in 2023 were breast, prostate, liver, cervical, and colorectal cancers.
According to the report, between 1990 and 2023, the number of people newly diagnosed with cancer grew from about 112 to 138 per 100,000 people, an increase of nearly 24 per cent.
It added that while over the same period, cancer deaths in Nigeria rose from about 90 to 98 per 100,000 people, an increase of just over 8 per cent.
The study recommended that cancer prevention be included as a component of policies in LMICs and underscored the need for equitable cancer-control efforts to ensure all people with cancer have access to timely and affordable care.
It said that effectively and sustainably addressing the global cancer burden required comprehensive national and international efforts.
These efforts, it said, include considering health systems and context in the development and implementation of cancer-control strategies across the continuum of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
It said that while crucial work was being done on cancer due to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target of reducing premature mortality from cancer and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), most countries need to accelerate efforts.
According to the study, to meet the challenge of the growing number of cancer cases and deaths, it is imperative that greater efforts are made by policymakers, governments, and agencies.
This was to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer at the country, regional and global levels.
The study analysed 47 cancer types across 204 countries from 1990 to 2023 and projected the burden to 2050.
The Lancet is a peer-reviewed medical journal founded in 1823 in the United Kingdom. It covers global health, medicine and public health policy.
