The WHO has today published a report on the impact of cancer around the world in which it warns about the increase in the number of cases, the disproportionate impact on people with fewer resources and the need to address inequities in treatments at the global level. global. The document, prepared by the Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), estimates that, in 2022, there will be about 20 million cases of cancer and 9.7 million deaths. The document includes a forecast of the number of cancer cases that will be diagnosed in 2050 and estimates an increase of 77%, up to 35 million cases. Population growth, aging and other factors such as alcohol or tobacco consumption and obesity are among the causes that justify this prediction. Air pollution is another of the culprits identified by the WHO. In total, one in nine men and one in 12 women will die from cancer. The organization also estimates that there are 53.5 million people who are still alive five years after receiving a cancer diagnosis.
The organization has also made public today another study, which includes 115 countries, which shows that the majority do not adequately finance treatments as part of universal health coverage. Only 39% of countries cover the basics and only 28% provide additional coverage for people requiring pain and palliative treatment.
The IARC estimates that 10 types of cancer, out of 36 considered, account for two-thirds of new cases and deaths. Lung cancer is the most common, with 12.4% of new cases (2.5 million); The second is breast cancer, with 11.6% (2.3 million); colorectal follows, with 9.6% (1.9 million); The fifth is prostate, with 7.3% (1.5 million); and it is followed by stomach cancer, with 4.9% (970,000 cases). In terms of number of deaths, lung cancer was the most lethal, with 18.7% of deaths (1.8 million); colorectal is second, with 9.3% (900,000); liver, the third, with 7.8% (760,000); breast cancer is fourth, with 6.9% (670,000); stomach cancer is fifth, with 6.8% (660,000). The WHO interprets that the resurgence of lung cancer as the one that causes the most deaths is due to tobacco use in Asia.
Some tumors have different impact by region. This is the case of cervical cancer, which is the eighth most common cancer in the world, but the most common in 25 countries, a majority in sub-Saharan Africa. Cervical cancer, caused by the human papillomavirus, can be prevented with regular check-ups and vaccines and the WHO has a program to eliminate or drastically reduce it as a public health problem.
The lack of equity is also dramatic, according to the data presented today. In countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI), one in 12 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, but only one in 71 will die from it. However, in countries with a low HDI, although only one in 27 will receive this diagnosis, one in 48 will die from this type of tumor, an imbalance that is due to the lack of effective treatments and early diagnosis. These types of inequalities are observed in all types of cancer. Although in total it will be the countries with a high HDI that will see a greater increase, with 4.8 million diagnoses expected by 2050, it will be those with a low HDI, with an increase of 142%, and those with medium development, with a 99%, those who will see a more intense proportional growth.