The growing global burden of cancer is rapidly exceeding the current cancer control capacity. More than 19 million new cancer cases were diagnosed in 2020 worldwide, and 10 million people died of cancer.¹

By 2040, that burden is expected to increase to around 30 million new cancer cases annually and 16 million deaths from cancer according to the Global Cancer Observatory.

The overriding message of this research is clear: a substantial proportion of cancers, most likely a majority when infectious diseases are considered, is preventable.

Read more in the Lancet here.

Also in the Lancet in 2022, an analysis of  the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors, which  is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. “The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden.”