Global Cancer Cases Could Surge 67% by 2050, New Report Warns
A new report from the American Cancer Society and the WHO projects that global cancer cases will rise by 67% by 2050, reaching 34 million annually. The increase is largely attributed to population growth and aging, highlighting an urgent need for improved prevention and equitable treatment access.
Why it matters
The findings underscore a looming global public health crisis that requires significant policy shifts and resource allocation to mitigate mortality rates.
New data reveal major geographic disparities and highlight the urgent need for global action on prevention, early detection, and equitable access to treatment.
For roughly one in five people worldwide, cancer will become part of their lifetime. Global Cancer Statistics, 2026 estimates that nearly 21 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and 9.8 million died from the disease.
About 1 in 9 men and 1 in 13 women are expected to die from cancer, while annual cases are projected to reach 34 million by 2050, a 67% increase driven solely by population growth and aging.
The report was produced by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO). The study was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians , the flagship journal of ACS .
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