Cancer survivors, patients and activists take part in a protest in the Kenyan capital Nairobi against to demand that government declare cancer a national disaster and avail free cancer care nationally. (Photo by TONY KARUMBA / AFP via Getty Images)
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Annual cancer cases globally are expected to rise from approximately 20.6 million today to nearly 35 million by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.
This equates to a nearly 70% increase in cancer cases, and the WHO argues that scientific breakthroughs alone will not be enough to curb the growing cancer burden around the world. Millions of people will continue to die from increasingly preventable cancers unless governments across the globe address widening health inequities.
Why Cancer Cases Are Increasing
The likely rise in cancer cases is driven primarily by demographics rather than a sudden increase in individual risk. As populations grow and people live longer, people are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer as cancer becomes more common as we age.
However, preventable risk factors continue to fuel the epidemic. The WHO estimates that nearly 4 in 10 cancers are linked to modifiable exposures such as tobacco, alcohol, physical inactivity, obesity and chronic infections like human papillomavirus. As an example, obesity is linked to at least a dozen different cancers, including cancers of the breast, pancreas, liver and kidneys according to the CDC.
The Biggest Divide Is Access
The greatest challenges to curbing cancer have less to do with scientific progress and more with unequal access to the innovation that science has produced.
For example, about 87% of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive at least five years in high-income countries, compared with just 42% in low-income countries. Less than 1 in 3 countries currently include comprehensive cancer care within their universal health coverage packages, and access to cancer treatments is significantly lower in lower-income countries compared to high-income ones. In some areas, up to 90% of patients forego treatment for cancer because the financial costs are too high.
Encouraging Signs Of Progress
Despite all the health inequities, meaningful progress has occurred. Global tobacco use has declined by 27% since 2010, contributing to lower rates of smoking-related cancers. In addition, about 85% of countries include the HPV vaccine in their national vaccine programs, which has led to near elimination of cervical cancer in young girls in parts of Europe and the United States. Advances in breast cancer screening and cervical cancer screening has improved early diagnosis of cancers; demonstrating the power of coordinated public health investments that ultimately save lives.
More Than A Medical Diagnosis
The impact of cancer extends well beyond the body. In addition to its physical and emotional toll, 45% of cancer patients experience financial hardship, and caregivers frequently face social isolation, stress and loss of income. Cancer is not only a medical condition but also a major economic and social challenge affecting families and communities worldwide.
The Road To 2050
Although the WHO numbers project a substantial increase in cancer burden globally, the report should be viewed as a call to action to address systemic inequities, provide equal access to care particularly in middle-income and low-income nations, expand preventive programs, invest in healthcare infrastructure and support innovative research for cancer treatments.
Being diagnosed with cancer and having to get treated should not be determined by where one lives, one’s income or the color of one’s skin.