Cancer causes over 26,000 deaths daily, shows WHO report

• The Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, produced with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialised WHO agency — outlines that cancer causes more than 26,000 deaths every day.

• With an estimated 20.6 million new cases and close to 10 million deaths annually, cancer remains the second leading cause of death globally, after cardiovascular disease.

• Reversing this trend will require a fundamental shift towards a people-centred approach that responds to the health needs and lived experiences of affected people and communities. 

• Without urgent action, annual cancer cases are projected to rise to nearly 35 million by 2050, warns the report.

• Most people will be affected by cancer at some point in their lives, either through their own diagnosis or that of a close family member. 

• Beyond its health impact, cancer remains one of the most financially and socially devastating challenges a household can face. 

• The survey of people affected by cancer found that at least 45 per cent experience financial hardship, more than half report mental health challenges, and nearly all caregivers report strain including unpaid services and social isolation.

Continental variations

• The report reveals persistent and widening inequities in access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and supportive care, leaving millions of people without the services they need. 

• While 87 per cent of women with breast cancer survive five years after their diagnosis in high-income countries, only about 42 per cent do so in low-income countries. 

• Fewer than one in three countries currently include cancer care in their universal health coverage packages.

• The burden of cancer varies markedly across regions. 

• In 2024, Asia accounted for the largest share, with more than half of all cancer cases (50.7 per cent) and deaths (56.5 per cent), reflecting its large population. 

• Europe carried a disproportionately high burden, contributing 21 per cent of global cases and 20 per cent of deaths despite having only about 9 per cent of the world's population. 

• In contrast, many countries in Africa and parts of Asia experience lower incidence but disproportionately high mortality.

• Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death globally. 

• Lung, prostate and colorectal cancers are among the most common cancers in men, while breast, lung and colorectal cancers account for a substantial share of the burden among women.

• In 2024, there were an estimated 2.4 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 694,000 deaths globally. Breast cancer occurs in every country of the world in women at any age after puberty but with increasing rates in later life. 

• Nearly four in ten cancer cases globally are linked to preventable risk factors, particularly infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C, and helicobacter pylori, alcohol, tobacco use, high body mass index and insufficient physical activity, highlighting the critical role of prevention.

Major gains, yet gaps persist

• While progress has been made in tobacco control, vaccination and cancer prevention, millions of people continue to face major inequalities in access to life-saving care.

• Tobacco use has declined by 27 per cent since 2010, contributing to reductions in lung cancer cases and deaths in some regions. 

• Infection-related cancers are also decreasing thanks to expanding vaccination coverage and improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) as well as infection prevention and control.

• Political commitment has strengthened, with 82 per cent of countries now having national cancer control plans, up from 50 per cent in 2010. 

• In high-income countries, early detection programmes catch most breast cancers and 74 per cent of women have been screened for cervical cancer. 

• Scientific innovation is accelerating. Registered clinical trials have increased at an annual rate of 7.3 per cent between 2005 and 2021.

• However, these advances are not translating into life-saving actions at the pace required. 

• Essential cancer medicines remain far out of reach for many. Availability of the top 20 priority cancer medicines ranges from just 9 per cent to 54 per cent in low and lower-middle-income countries, compared with 68 per cent to 94 per cent in high-income countries. 

• And the consequences of these gaps are felt most acutely by people living with cancer and their families.

Seven key recommendations

• The report marks an important opportunity to place people affected by cancer at the centre of cancer control efforts.

• It calls on governments, international organisations, civil society, academic institutions, the private sector, and WHO to work together to deliver a people-centred and holistic approach to care for individuals and families affected by cancer.

To support this vision, the report outlines seven key recommendations and three strategic shifts to be implemented across all countries and communities:

Shift 1: Better capabilities

i) Embed cancer control within health system strengthening and universal health coverage, using national cancer control plans as the catalyst for strategic action.

ii) Strengthen health system capacities for comprehensive integrated cancer service delivery.

Shift 2: Better protections

iii) Include people with lived experience in all cancer-related decision-making.

iv) Enhance community-level health promotion on cancer and strengthen social protections.

Shift 3: Better value

v) Promote alignment and transparency in global cancer data on burden of disease and health system performance.

vi) Unify the cancer agenda around equity-based, system-wide solutions.

vii) Align research and innovation with public health priorities and the service needs of low and middle-income countries.

• The choices made and actions taken today will shape the cancer burden borne by future generations. 

• By adopting a people-centred approach, making strategic and sustained investments, and maintaining an unwavering commitment to equity, countries can reduce the cancer burden and improve outcomes for everyone, everywhere.