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Cancer worldwide - Statistics & Facts

Cancer is one of the leading health problems worldwide, affecting millions of individuals of all ages and genders and greatly impacting quality of life. Cancer, also known as malignant tumors and neoplasms, is the result of interactions between personal genetic factors and external agents causing abnormal transformations of cells into tumors over time. As the global population increases in age, the incidence of new cancer cases is also rising, contributing to a higher number of deaths each year. In 2020, nearly 10 million deaths were caused by cancer worldwide- a number which is expected to reach over 16 million by 2040.

Rise in new cases

Worldwide, the incidence rates for cancer are expected to increase from just under 20 million new cases per year in 2020 to over 30 million new cases per year by 2040. In 2020, breast cancer took the top spot in the number of new cases per year, followed by lung and colorectum cancers. The rise in incidence rates mirror the changes in population growth and aging, as well as increased exposure to risk factors associated with socioeconomic development, such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and air pollution.

Differences worldwide

The number of new cases and deaths from cancer range across regions and are related to each country’s population characteristics, as well as socioeconomic development and income status. In 2020, nearly half of all new cancer cases around the globe were in Asia. On the other hand, prevalence rates are higher in North America, reaching nearly 600 cases per 100,000 population in 2020. Changes and differences in incidence and prevalence rates are linked to the adoption of cancer-related Western lifestyle habits and environmental and occupational risk factors, as well as variations in survival rates across cancer types and regions.

Treatment and prevention

Understanding the disease and developing state-of-the-art methods of screening, treatment, and prevention are key in reducing the burden of cancer worldwide, but come at an increasing cost. By the year 2022, global oncology spending is expected to reach over 200 billion U.S. dollars. Early detection through screening is key in the treatment of cancer as it is more likely to respond to treatment, resulting in a higher chance of survival. Like other chronic, non-communicable diseases, cancer is clearly linked to preventable lifestyle factors such as unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. Therefore, prevention strategies focus on increasing awareness about the effects of health-harming activities such as using alcohol and cigarettes and being overweight or obese.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 28, 2022

Key insights

Cancer type with the highest number of new cases worldwide in 2020
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Global oncology spending in 2022
193bn USD
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