Cancer cases could surge 67% worldwide by 2050

According to Global Cancer Statistics, 2026, nearly 21 million people were diagnosed with cancer worldwide in 2024, while 9.8 million died from the disease. The estimates suggest that roughly 1 in 5 people across the globe will develop cancer at some point in their lives. About 1 in 9 men and 1 in 13 women are expected to die from cancer.

By 2050, annual cancer cases are projected to climb to 34 million. That represents a 67% increase compared with 2024, driven solely by population growth and aging.

A Global Picture of Cancer

The report was produced by researchers from ACS and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO). The study appears in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, the flagship journal of ACS, and is also available on cancer.org.

"Cancer is one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century and a major barrier to increasing life expectancy worldwide. Understanding the magnitude and geographic distributions of the disease is essential to guide effective and equitable prevention and control efforts," said Dr. Hyuna Sung, senior principal scientist, cancer surveillance at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report. "While the scale of the cancer burden and the stark geographic disparities are sobering, they also point to a tremendous opportunity. Nearly half of all cancer deaths are estimated to be avoidable through potentially modifiable risk factors and an additional substantial proportion of cancer deaths can be prevented through early detection and timely treatment."

The new figures are based on GLOBOCAN estimates for 2024. GLOBOCAN is a database created by IARC that tracks cancer incidence and deaths across 34 cancer types of cancer and 186 countries worldwide. Researchers examined how cancer diagnoses and deaths vary by region and by the Human Development Index, then used demographic trends to estimate what the global burden could look like in 2050.

Cancer Rates Vary Dramatically Around the World

One of the clearest findings is that cancer does not affect every region equally.

Cancer incidence rates differed by roughly four to five times across regions. Australia/New Zealand had the highest rates, while some parts of Africa and South-Central Asia had the lowest.

Cancer mortality showed smaller but still substantial differences, varying by about two times. The highest death rates were found among men in Eastern Europe and among women in Melanesia.

Lung Cancer Remains the Leading Cancer Worldwide

Lung cancer continues to rank first globally for both new diagnoses and cancer deaths, with tobacco remaining the main driver of the disease. Nearly 2.6 million new lung cancer cases were recorded in 2024, accounting for 13% of all cancers. Lung cancer also caused 1.9 million deaths, representing 19% of all cancer deaths worldwide.

Female breast cancer was the second most commonly diagnosed cancer globally. About 2.4 million new cases and 694,000 deaths were recorded, making breast cancer the leading cancer among women for both incidence and mortality.

The data also reveal striking differences in survival. Women in Western Africa are twice as likely to die from breast cancer as women in Australia/New Zealand, even though breast cancer incidence in Western Africa is only about half as high. The disparity reflects unequal access to diagnosis and treatment.

Colorectal, Liver, and Prostate Cancer Add to the Burden

Colorectal cancer ranked as the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer death. More than 2.0 million new cases were reported, along with 918,000 deaths.

Liver cancer accounted for 843,000 new cases and 732,000 deaths, making it the third leading cause of cancer mortality globally.

Among men, prostate cancer was the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer death. About 1.5 million new cases and 420,000 deaths were recorded. Death rates were especially high in the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa, where prostate cancer is often the leading cause of cancer death among men.

Stomach, Cervical, and Pancreatic Cancer Remain Major Threats

Stomach cancer was responsible for about 980,000 new cases and 642,000 deaths in 2024. It ranked fifth globally for both incidence and mortality, with the highest rates occurring in Eastern Asia.

Cervical cancer remains a major cause of preventable deaths despite the availability of HPV vaccination and screening. It is the leading cause of cancer death among women in 26 countries, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in parts of South and Central America.

Pancreatic cancer presents a different pattern. Although it ranked only 11th in incidence, it caused nearly half a million deaths (491,000), placing it sixth among cancers for mortality.

Thyroid cancer was also common, with nearly one million new cases worldwide (959,000). That made it the sixth most frequently diagnosed cancer globally.

Prevention Could Have an Enormous Impact

Despite the projected rise in cancer cases, researchers emphasize that a large share of cancer deaths may be preventable.

"Every region faces different cancer challenges, so every country needs a unique plan to mitigate the growing burden of cancer. However, cancer prevention must be every country's top priority," said Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president of surveillance & health equity science at the American Cancer Society and co-author of the study. "We must intensify efforts to help people quit tobacco use, avoid cancer-linked infections, abstain from alcohol, maintain a healthy weight, and get more daily exercise."