WHO predicts cancer incidence will increase by 77% by 2050 | Health and wellness

WHO today published a report on the impact of cancer around the world, in which it warns of increasing numbers of cases, the disproportionate impact on people with fewer resources and the need to address treatment inequalities globally. . A document prepared by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) estimates that there will be approximately 20 million cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths in 2022. The document includes a forecast for the number of cancer cases that will be diagnosed in 2050 and estimates a 77% increase, to 35 million cases. Population growth, aging and other factors such as alcohol or tobacco consumption and obesity are some of the reasons that justify this forecast. Air pollution is another culprit identified by the WHO. In total, one in nine men and one in 12 women will die from cancer. The organization estimates that 53.5 million people are still alive five years after being diagnosed with cancer.

The organization also released another study today, involving 115 countries, which shows that most do not adequately fund treatment as part of universal health coverage. Only 39% of countries cover basic health care and only 28% provide supplementary insurance for people needing pain and palliative care.

The IARC estimates that 10 of the 36 cancers considered account for two-thirds of new cases and deaths. Lung cancer is the most common: 12.4% of new cases (2.5 million); In second place is breast cancer – 11.6% (2.3 million); Next comes colorectal cancer with 9.6% (1.9 million); In fifth place is the prostate – 7.3% (1.5 million); followed by stomach cancer with 4.9% (970,000 cases). By number of deaths, lung cancer was the deadliest: 18.7% of deaths (1.8 million); colorectal comes in second with 9.3% (900,000); liver is third with 7.8% (760,000); breast cancer ranks fourth with 6.9% (670,000); Stomach cancer ranks fifth with 6.8% (660,000). The WHO interprets that the resurgence of lung cancer, which causes the most deaths, is linked to tobacco use in Asia.

Some tumors have different effects depending on the region. This is the case with cervical cancer, which is the eighth most common cancer in the world, but most common in 25 countries, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Cervical cancer, caused by the human papillomavirus, can be prevented through regular screenings and vaccination, and WHO has a program to eliminate or dramatically reduce it as a public health problem.

The capital shortage is also dramatic, according to 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 low HDI countries, although only one in 27 will receive this diagnosis, one in 48 will die from this type of tumor, an imbalance due to a lack of effective treatment and early diagnosis. Similar disparities are observed across all types of cancer. While overall growth will be greater in high HDI countries (with 4.8 million diagnoses expected by 2050), these will be low HDI countries, with an increase of 142%, and middle developed countries, with an increase by 142%. The 99% are those who will see more intense proportional growth.

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