With the increase in the global population, by 2050, the number of cancer cases could increase by 77%, according to a recent research.
The number of cancer cases could increase by 77% in the next 25 years – Photo Archive
The results of the 2022 study, which determines which are the most widespread oncological conditions in the world, were recently published.
Specifically, it is estimated that the number of cancer cases globally will increase by 77% by 2050, due to population growth, USA Today reports.
Nearly 20 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in 2022, and 9.7 million people will die from it, suggests the study published in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicianspart of the Journals of the American Cancer Society.
For its part, the World Health Organization has warned that the number of patients with oncological diseases will increase.
One in five people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and this will lead to the death of one in nine men and one in 12 women, according to the report. Holding the same rates and taking into account the growth and aging of the population, the study shows that the number of new cancer cases will increase by 77%, reaching 35 million by 2050.
“The overall magnitude of cancer and the diversity of cancer profiles by region of the world and level of human development again underscore the need for a worldwide intensification of targeted cancer control measures. Investments in prevention, including targeting key risk factors for cancer… can prevent millions of future cancer diagnoses and save many lives worldwide“, concludes the report.
The most common types of cancer
Globally, in 2022, these were the most common types of cancer:
- Lung cancer – 12.4%.
- Breast cancer in women – 11.6%.
- Colorectal cancer – 9.6%.
- Prostate cancer – 7.3%.
- Stomach cancer – 4.9%
The ten main types of cancer account for about two-thirds of all cases worldwide. Liver, thyroid, cervix, bladder and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma make up the rest of the top 10 cancers in both sexes.
In Europe, the cancer mortality rate is 20.4%, and the rate of new cases is 22.4% of cases.
The higher a country's level of human development, which is measured in terms of human health, longevity and living standards, the higher the likelihood that its residents will develop cancer, the cited report said.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. In addition, cancer cases among young people are also increasing.
Addressing risk factors such as smoking, obesity and infections is essential to save lives and generate economic and social benefits, the report concludes.
In our country, the number of new cancer cases increased by 21% in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to INSP data.
The Federation of Associations of Cancer Patients (FABC) estimates that the number of people with cancer in Romania exceeds 550,000. What is worse is that in our country 20,000 people die with oncological diseases, although they could be saved, with more than 45% more than the European average, Cezar Irimia, the president of FABC, drew attention.
