Approximately one in five people worldwide will develop cancer during their lifetime, but the disease impacts far beyond those diagnosed. According to a new global report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on July 8, 2026, approximately 92 percent of the global population will experience cancer either through their own diagnosis or the diagnosis of a close family member.
The report describes cancer as a growing global health, social and economic crisis, impacting families and communities around the world. While advances in prevention, diagnosis and treatment have improved outcomes in many countries, the report warns that survival is increasingly dependent on geography and access to health care.
The report estimates that the burden of cancer has already reached unprecedented levels. More than 20.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer worldwide in 2024, including 19.5 million cases (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer).
Among men, lung cancer was the most common cancer, with about 1.6 million new cases, followed by prostate cancer with 1.5 million cases.
Among women, breast cancer remained the leading cancer with 2.4 million new diagnoses, while lung cancer came in second with nearly 1 million cases.
Colorectal cancer was the third most common cancer in both men and women, with an estimated 1.1 million new cases in men and 900,000 new cases in women.
The report also highlights the increasing burden of childhood cancer. Approximately 400,000 children and adolescents aged 0–19 years develop cancer each year, with the majority of cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
9.7 million deaths globally, premature deaths rising
Cancer is expected to cause an estimated 9.7 million deaths globally in 2024, including more than 4.8 million deaths among adults aged 30–69 years, highlighting the enormous burden of premature mortality.
WHO said in the report that cancer is becoming one of the leading causes of early death worldwide. About one in nine men and one in 13 women are expected to die from cancer before the age of 75.
Progress towards global SDG goals is also lagging. Between 2010 and 2019, only 12 countries were on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases, including cancer, by one third by 2030.
While some countries are making progress, 48 countries are seeing an increase in premature deaths from cancer. WHO’s 2021 global health projections showed that cancer is already the leading cause of premature death in 41 countries, the second leading cause in 37 countries and the third leading cause in 47.
Cancer accounts for 16.5 percent of all global deaths, making it the second leading cause of death worldwide after heart disease.
2.45 million children became orphans due to cancer
The impact of cancer goes beyond patients and deaths to affect entire families. In 2020, cancer deaths among women and men left an estimated 2.45 million children orphaned worldwide – including 1.04 million who lost their mothers and 1.41 million who lost their fathers.
Breast cancer was responsible for one in four cases of children losing their mothers, while cervical cancer was responsible for one in five cases. Nearly half of these new maternal orphans were in Asia, while more than a third were in Africa. India, China, Nigeria, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Pakistan contribute about 40 percent of maternal orphan cases globally.
The burden of cancer is not limited to health consequences. The disease has a lasting emotional, social and financial impact on patients and their families, according to a WHO global survey on the lived experiences of people affected by cancer, the report said. More than half of those surveyed reported mental health problems.
This has also been highlighted recently in India. crime in india 2024 Report released by National Crime Records Bureau. According to WHO, at least 45 percent faced financial difficulties. Nearly all caregivers reported stress associated with unpaid caregiving, long-term grief, or social isolation.
Cancer zodiac sign can also push families into financial crisis. High out-of-pocket treatment costs, loss of income, expensive medications, travel for care and child care expenses often create long-term financial stress. The WHO report has therefore identified cancer as a major driver of medical bankruptcy even in countries with universal health coverage.
Global inequalities will deepen as cancer increases
The report estimates that annual cancer cases will increase by 66.7 percent to 35 million by 2050 due to population growth, aging populations, and changing exposure to risk factors. However, this increase will not affect all countries equally.
Cancer incidence is currently higher in high-income countries, partly because cancer is detected earlier and the population lives longer. Better survival is also being seen in these countries because patients are more likely to receive timely diagnosis and treatment.
In contrast, people in low- and middle-income countries are dying disproportionately from cancers that are treatable in rich countries because access to essential services such as pathology, imaging, surgery, radiotherapy and medications is limited.
For the first time, WHO has produced country-comparable estimates of five-year survival for breast and childhood cancer, revealing huge differences between countries. More than 85 percent of women with breast cancer in high-income countries survive for at least five years, while the figure is less than 45 percent in low-income countries.
This difference is even greater in the case of childhood cancer. The survival rate for children with lymphoid leukemia is about 93 percent in Europe, but only 19 percent in parts of Africa.
The report identified unequal access to diagnosis as one of the key drivers of these differences. About 47 percent of the world’s population has little or no access to basic diagnostic services, including pathology and imaging.
In sub-Saharan Africa, there is about one pathologist for every million people, about 50 times less than in high-income countries. Access to cancer treatment is also highly unequal. For example, lung cancer surgery is included in the public health benefit package in 96 percent of high-income countries, compared to only 19 percent in low-income countries.
The report warns that these disparities are likely to increase as the burden of cancer shifts to countries that are less able to respond. While cancer cases worldwide are expected to increase by about 67 percent by 2050, new cases in low-income countries are projected to increase by a staggering 133 percent, putting further pressure on already fragile health systems.
According to the WHO report, the future global cancer response will depend not only on medical advances, but also on whether countries can ensure equitable access to prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. Without addressing these gaps, where a person lives will continue to play a decisive role in whether cancer becomes a survivable disease or a life-threatening diagnosis.