According to a new global report, the number of new cancer cases worldwide could rise by 67% by 2050, reaching 34 million per year, reports infohub.kz.
The American Cancer Society (ACS), together with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), presented the report "Global Cancer Statistics, 2026," published in the journal "CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians." The estimates are based on GLOBOCAN data for 2024, which recorded about 21 million new cancer cases and 9.8 million deaths worldwide. Researchers calculated that roughly one in five people will develop cancer during their lifetime.
According to projections, by 2050 the annual number of diagnoses will increase by 67% to 34 million, driven solely by demographic factors—population growth and aging. At the same time, experts emphasize that nearly half of cancer deaths could be prevented through controlling risk factors, early detection, and timely treatment.
Lung cancer remains the most common and deadliest type: in 2024, there were 2.6 million new cases (13% of all diagnoses) and 1.9 million deaths (19% of all fatalities). Female breast cancer ranks second (2.4 million cases and 694,000 deaths), followed by colorectal cancer (over 2 million cases), prostate cancer in men (1.5 million), and stomach cancer (980,000).
Senior scientist at ACS, Hyuna Sung, and vice president, Ahmedin Jemal, note that all countries should prioritize tobacco control, infection prevention, reducing alcohol consumption, and promoting healthy weight and physical activity.