American Cancer Society warns a ‘tidal wave’ of tumors is coming – with cases set to rise 80% by 2050

A tidal wave of cancer cases is expected to sweep the world by 2050, with a 77 percent increase between now and then, a new study says.

About 20 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in 2022, but this number is expected to rise to more than 35 million cases by 2050, thanks in part to rising obesity rates and increasing junk food diets.

Death rates from cancer have fallen in recent years, but as the population grows and ages, the number of deaths is likely to increase as well. In 2022, 9.7 million people died from cancer.

The rise is fueled in part by a mysterious rise in cancer cases among young people, affecting dozens of countries around the world.

The above shows the most common cancer in each country

The main types of cancer cases were lung cancer, breast cancer in women, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and stomach cancer.

Cancer rates in the US are following the same trajectory, especially when it comes to colorectal cancers. The number of deaths is now showing a downward trend.

For the new report, doctors affiliated with the American Cancer Society used the Global Cancer Observatory database to examine cancer data for 2022, the last year for which data was available.

They covered 36 types of cancer in 185 countries or territories worldwide. The study examined the top ten types of cancer in twenty different areas, using figures such as age-adjusted rates and cumulative risk.

Obesity, alcohol and tobacco use are on the rise around the world, and the US is no exception. But it is believed that better screening, such as the uptake of mammograms, will also increase the numbers as more cases are identified.

The study also examines the Human Development Index (HDI) to understand how the cancer burden varies based on a country’s level of development. Using population trends, it predicts future cancer rates for 2050.

Dr. Karen E. Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society, said, “Understanding the global burden of cancer is critical to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to prevent, detect, treat and survive cancer.”

‘These data provide insights into trends and potential areas for intervention and can help prioritize discovery efforts worldwide. By funding research, advocating for change and directly supporting patients, together we can make a lasting impact on the more than 200 diseases we call cancer.”

Lung cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in 2022, accounting for nearly 2.5 million new cases, or one in eight cancers worldwide (12.4 percent of all cancers worldwide), followed by cancers of the female breast (11.6 percent ), colorectal cancer (9.6 percent). ), prostate (7.3 percent) and stomach (4.9 percent).

Colon cancer has made headlines in the past year as the number of cases among people under the age of 50 has skyrocketed, an issue that is of great concern as most cancers are more common in the elderly. In the US, nearly 18,000 cases are diagnosed annually among this age group, compared to 12,000 per year before 2000.

There is also evidence that the increase in colorectal cancer cases may be linked to fungal pathogens.

Dr. Hyuna Sung, co-author of the report, said: ‘This increase in the projected number of cancer cases in 2050 is solely due to population aging and growth, assuming current incidence rates remain unchanged.

‘In particular, the prevalence of major risk factors such as the consumption of unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, heavy alcohol use and cigarette smoking is increasing in many parts of the world and is likely to worsen the future burden of cancer, barring large-scale interventions.’

About 50 percent of cancers are preventable. For example, eliminating tobacco use could prevent a quarter of cancer deaths, while a healthy diet, physical activity, limiting sun exposure and avoiding heavy alcohol use all make a big difference.

The world’s population is expected to grow from about 8 billion people in 2022 to 9.7 billion in 2050. The report’s authors warned that as there is an increase in tobacco use, obesity and other risk factors for cancer among more people, especially among low-income countries, the expected number of cancer cases may rise further.

Global data shows that lung cancer topped the list as the most commonly diagnosed cancer in 2022, with almost 2.5 million new cases and more than 1.8 million deaths.

Furthermore, the report highlights that the top 10 cancer types, which affect both men and women, have contributed to more than 60 percent of newly diagnosed cases and cancer-related deaths.

Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior author of the study, said: ‘Given that more than half of cancer deaths worldwide are potentially preventable, prevention offers the most cost-effective and sustainable strategy for cancer control.

“Eliminating tobacco use alone could prevent 1 in 4 cancer deaths or approximately 2.6 million cancer deaths per year.”

Their findings were published in the journal CA: A cancer journal for physicians.