February 4 is World Cancer Day, a global event to raise awareness and control of cancer. On this day, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) released an updated report on the global cancer burden, revealing some worrying trends and data.
According to the IAC report, about 20 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with cancer in 2022, and about 10 million of them will die from it. This figure represents an increase of 11% and 6%, respectively, from 18 million new cases and 9.4 million deaths in 2018.
What's even more alarming is that by 2050, the number of new cancer cases worldwide will reach 35 million per year, an increase of 77% from 2022; And the number of deaths will also increase to 17 million, a 70% increase from 2022.
This upward trend in the global cancer burden reflects both the impact of population growth and ageing, as well as the changing risk factors for cancer as people develop socio-economically. For example, factors such as tobacco, alcohol, obesity, and air pollution, remain the leading causes of cancer.
The IRC report also shows that there are huge disparities in the incidence and mortality of cancer across countries and regions around the world. These differences reflect not only the distribution of cancer types in different regions, but also the disparities in the level of cancer prevention and treatment in different regions.
In terms of cancer types, nearly two-thirds of the world's new cancer cases and deaths in 2022 are concentrated in ten cancer types. Among them, lung cancer is the most common and deadliest cancer, accounting for 12 percent of all new cancer cases5% and 18 percent of the deaths9%。Female breast cancer is the second most common cancer, accounting for 11 percent of all new cancer cases6 per cent, but only 6 per cent of deaths9%。Other common cancers include rectal and colon cancer, prostate cancer, and stomach cancer, among others.
From a regional perspective, nearly half of the world's new cancer cases in 2022 occurred in Asia, accounting for 484%；This is followed by Europe, with 234%；Again, the Americas, with 210%。Africa, on the other hand, accounts for only 58%。This distribution is mainly influenced by the size and structure of the population.
However, if you look at the mortality rate from cancer, a different phenomenon is revealed. Of the number of people who died from cancer globally in 2022, there were 367% occurred in Asia, followed by Europe, which accounted for 205%；Again, the Americas, with 198%。Africa accounted for 123%。This distribution suggests that cancer patients in low- and middle-income countries, such as Africa, have a higher risk of dying than cancer patients in high-income countries.
In the face of the increasing global burden of cancer, how to effectively address this challenge has become an urgent problem to be solved. The IARC report notes that cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis,** and palliative care are all important tools to reduce the burden of cancer. However, the implementation of these means requires the joint efforts and input of all countries** and society.
The IARC report was released at the same time as a WHO survey of 115 countries. The survey shows that most countries are not providing sufficient funding to priority cancer** and palliative care services as part of universal health coverage. This means that many cancer patients do not have access to timely and effective medical care, resulting in a reduced quality of life and survival rate.
The WHO survey also found that there are huge global inequalities in cancer services. For example, higher-income countries are up to seven times more likely than low-income countries to include lung cancer-related services in their health benefit plans. In low-income countries, less than half are able to provide basic cancer diagnostic services, such as pathology or radiology.
To change this, WHO is calling on countries to invest more in cancer services and include them in universal health coverage to provide accessible, high-quality and equitable cancer services for all. The WHO also said it is working closely with more than 75 countries** through mechanisms such as the Cancer Initiative to develop, fund and implement policies and programmes to address the challenges of cancer.
In addition to strengthening cancer services, the WHO has also emphasized the importance of cancer prevention. According to WHO estimates, at least 40% of cancers worldwide are preventable if some known cancer risk factors, such as tobacco, alcohol, obesity and air pollution, can be reduced or eliminated. In addition, by raising awareness and education about cancer, the chances of early detection and ** of cancer can be improved. For example, cervical cancer is the eighth most common cancer worldwide and the ninth deadliest cancer; Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in 25 countries, many of which are in sub-Saharan Africa. However, cervical cancer is a cancer that can be prevented and screened for by vaccines, and if these measures are widely available, they can effectively reduce the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer.
In conclusion, cancer is a serious global public health problem that requires the attention and action of all countries** and society. On this special day of World Cancer Day, let's work together to raise awareness and combat cancer to create a cancer-free future for all. World Cancer Day