By Zoila Palma: The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments and health systems to take immediate action after warning that the number of new cancer cases worldwide could rise to nearly 35 million annually by 2050.
According to the WHO Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, developed with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the world currently records an estimated 20.6 million new cancer cases and nearly 10 million deaths each year, making cancer the second leading cause of death globally after cardiovascular disease.
The report highlights major inequalities in access to cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, with survival rates varying dramatically between rich and poor countries.
While 87 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive at least five years in high-income nations, only about 42 percent do so in low-income countries. WHO also noted that fewer than one in three countries currently include cancer care in their universal health coverage programmes.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said cancer affects nearly every family, but survival should not depend on where a person lives or how much they earn. The report also found that cancer places a heavy financial and emotional burden on patients and families, with at least 45 percent of those affected experiencing financial hardship, more than half reporting mental health challenges, and nearly all caregivers facing significant strain.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and nearly 40 percent of all cancer cases are linked to preventable risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and infections including human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis.
Although the report notes progress in areas such as declining tobacco use, expanded vaccination programmes and increased national cancer control plans, WHO says these gains are not reaching everyone equally.
WHO is calling for a people-centred approach that strengthens universal health coverage, expands access to essential medicines, improves social protections and ensures equitable investment in cancer prevention, treatment and research to reduce the growing global burden of the disease.
The post International News: World Health Organization calls for urgent action as new cancer cases are projected to nearly double by 2050 appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments and health systems to take immediate action after warning that the number of new cancer cases worldwide could rise to nearly 35 million annually by 2050. According to the WHO Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, developed with the International Agency for Research on
The post International News: World Health Organization calls for urgent action as new cancer cases are projected to nearly double by 2050 appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
