The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer agency, released new estimates revealing a growing global cancer burden, particularly impacting underserved populations.

 In 2022, there were approximately 20 million new cancer cases and 9.7 million deaths. The WHO survey on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and cancer indicates that only 39% of participating countries cover basic cancer management in their financed core health services, while 28% cover palliative care.

Striking cancer inequities were observed, notably for breast cancer, influenced by the Human Development Index (HDI).

The cancer burden is projected to increase by 77% to over 35 million new cases by 2050, emphasizing the need for global efforts to address disparities and improve cancer outcomes.