Cancer cases could rise by 77% by 2050 as the world ages: study

April 8, 2024

The Deseret News reports that cancer experts are saying cancer cases could rise by 77% by 2050 as the global population ages. The American Cancer Society’s Global Cancer Statistics 2024 report notes that many of those cancers are related to lifestyle choices.

The data released last Thursday says roughly 20 million new cancer cases were diagnosed in 2022. The report says nearly 10 million people died of cancer globally during that year.

The estimate is that 35 million cases of cancer could be diagnosed by the year 2050 as cancers that are common in an aging population may drive the increase. About half of those cancers are thought to be preventable through lifestyle changes and vaccines.

Dr. Hyuna Sung is the senior principal scientist at the American Cancer Society and a co-author of the report. Dr. Sung said, “Notably, the prevalence of major risk factors such as consumption of unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, heavy alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking are increasing in many parts of the world and will likely exacerbate the future burden of cancer barring any large-scale interventions,”

Dr. Ahmedin Jemal is the senior author of the study and added, “Elimination of tobacco use alone could prevent 1 in 4 cancer deaths or approximately 2.6 million cancer deaths annually.”

The World Health Organization reported earlier this year that 10 types of cancer account for roughly two-thirds of the new cases and the deaths around the world in 2022, using data from 185 countries. The leading cause of cancer death was lung cancer, followed by colorectal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer and stomach cancer.

Photo: top, Credit: Gerry Broome/Associated Press