World Health Organization: Cancer cases may approach 35 million cases annually by 2050

The organization explained in its global report on the status of cancer for the year 2026 – which it prepared in cooperation with the International Agency for Research on Cancer – that cancer causes the death of more than 26 thousand people every day, with about 20.6 million new infections and nearly 10 million deaths recorded annually.

The report explained that reducing this trend requires a shift towards an approach that puts people at the heart of efforts to combat cancer, noting the continued widening of inequalities in access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care services.

According to the report, 87 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer in high-income countries are alive five years after diagnosis, compared to only 42 percent in low-income countries, while less than a third of countries include cancer care in universal health coverage packages.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the chances of surviving cancer “should never depend on place of birth or income level,” stressing that inequalities are not inevitable and can be addressed through stronger and more coordinated action.

The report indicated that about four out of every ten cancer cases are linked to preventable risk factors, such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, lack of physical activity, and some types of infections, which underscores the importance of investing in prevention.

Despite progress in tobacco control, expanding vaccination programs, and increasing the number of national cancer control plans, the report shows that essential medicines remain out of reach in many low-income countries.

The organization called on governments and partners to adopt a comprehensive approach that puts people affected by cancer at the heart of health policies, while promoting universal health coverage, social protection, and ensuring equitable access to treatment and innovation.