…. 20.6m cases, 9.8m deaths recorded worldwide in 2024By Chioma Obinna The just-released GLOBOCAN report has revealed that the global cancer burden is rising sharply, with 20.6 million new cases and 9.8 million deaths recorded worldwide in 2024. It also showed that deep inequalities in prevention, early detection, treatment and cancer surveillance continue to leave millions at risk.
The latest estimates by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization’s specialised cancer agency, also projected that annual new cancer cases could rise to 34 million by 2050, a 67 per cent increase from 2024, while cancer deaths could climb to 17.5 million, nearly 80 per cent higher than the current level.
The estimates, contained in the new GLOBOCAN 2024 report, were released as IARC marked its 60th anniversary and provide a comprehensive picture of cancer incidence and mortality across countries, regions, age groups and sexes. According to the report, 10.6 million of the 20.6 million new cases recorded in 2024 occurred among men and 10 million among women. Men accounted for 56 per cent of the estimated 9.8 million cancer deaths, while women accounted for 44 per cent.
Commenting on the report, Head of the Cancer Surveillance Branch at IARC, Freddie Bray said the figures reflected the disproportionate impact of cancer on men. “One in nine men and one in 13 women die from cancer. This reflects the variation in cancer types between men and women and the generally poorer prognosis of cancers affecting men,” he said.
The report also revealed striking geographical disparities in the global cancer burden, driven by population size, ageing, exposure to risk factors and unequal access to prevention and care. China alone accounts for about one in four cancer cases and one in four cancer deaths worldwide, while Europe, with just