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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has, in a new report, highlighted the rising cases of cancer across the world, revealing that about 20.6 million new cases and close to 10 million deaths are recorded worldwide annually. The report also says that cancer is the second leading cause of death. It is quickly followed by cardiovascular disease.
The report equally observed that cancer killed over 26,000 people daily, stressing that, without urgent intervention, yearly cancer cases may rise to almost 35 million by 2050. The global health agency also called for urgent action by governments and civil society organisations to stem the rising cases of cancer.
The WHO Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, which was jointly developed with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), notes that reversing this trend will require a fundamental shift towards a people-centred approach, which responds to health needs and lived experiences of affected people and communities.
The report also exposed persistent and widening inequities in access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and supportive care, which leaves millions of people without the services they need. It also revealed that while 87 per cent of women with breast cancer survive at five years after their diagnosis in high-income countries, only about 42 per cent do so in low-income countries. At the same time, fewer than one in three countries currently includes cancer care in their universal health coverage packages.
Concerning the report, the WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, observed that cancer is a deeply personal disease that touches nearly all of us, and that whether a person survives cancer should never depend on where they were born or what they earn. He stated that the inequities documented in this report are not inevitable but the consequences of choices that can be reversed through stronger and unified action. The report opines that “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.”
Apart from its health impact, cancer remains one of the most financially and socially devastating challenges a household can face. The first-ever survey by WHO on people affected by cancer found that at least 45 per cent experience financial hardship, more than half report strain including unpaid services and social isolation.
The report discovered that cancer rates vary 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 (56.6 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 nine per cent of the world’s population. On the other hand, many countries in Africa and parts of Asia experience lower incidence but disproportionately high mortality.
In all, the report established that lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths globally. It says that 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.
However, the good news is that nearly four in ten cancer cases globally are linked to preventable risk factors, particularly infections like human papillomavirus (HPV), Hepatitis B and C, and Helicobacter Pylori, alcohol, tobacco use, high body mass index and insufficient physical activity.
According to the Director of WHO’s IARC, Elisabete Weiderpass, “while we are seeing reductions in countries that have implemented prevention policies, progress has been too slow.” “The cancer profile is evolving, increasingly driven by rising rates of obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and air pollution. Cancer prevention must remain a political priority,” Weiderpass stated. Similarly, a cancer survivor, Clarissa Schilstra, urged policymakers to meaningfully engage with people affected by cancer. The report provides an important opportunity to place people affected by cancer at the centre of cancer control efforts.
Despite successes in key policy areas, there are still gaps to be filled. For instance, tobacco use declined by 27 per cent since 2010. This has contributed to reductions in lung cancer cases and deaths in some regions. The report said that infection-related cancers are equally decreasing due to expansion of vaccination coverage and improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) as well as infection prevention and control.
We bemoan growing cancer cases and deaths worldwide and call on the federal and state governments to step up efforts to curb the menace. Apart from having the national cancer control initiative, there should be political commitment to integrate cancer control into the universal health coverage. Although cancer can be deadly, it is also preventable. It is never a death sentence, as early detection is key to favourable treatment outcomes.
It is instructive that the federal government has expanded financial support for cancer patients through funding and health insurance. Let it make cancer drugs accessible and affordable to cancer patients. We urge the government to subsidise the cancer treatment for poor patients. Government should invest in human capital to prevent and control cancer. Above all, efforts should be made to place people with lived experience at the centre of cancer systems and strengthen social protection and ensure equitable access to value-based advances in care.
