Cancer deaths in Britain are expected to rise by more than 50 percent by 2050, world health leaders have warned.
A rising and aging population – combined with unhealthy lifestyles – will cause a wave of diseases.
The World Health Organization predicts there will be tens of thousands more cases and deaths in Britain each year than previously estimated.
Britons have one of the highest chances of getting cancer on the continent, but fared better than the French and Danes.
However, the data showed that people in Britain are more likely to die from cancer than people in the US.
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Experts from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the WHO examined cancer data from 115 different countries, including the United Kingdom.
Researchers said there were 454,954 new cases of cancer in Britain in 2022, and this is expected to rise to 624,582 by 2050 – an increase of 37 percent.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in British women, while prostate cancer is the most common diagnosis in men, they said.
Lung and colon cancer are the other cancers most likely to be diagnosed in both men and women.
The IARC and WHO also predicted a sharp rise in cancer deaths in Britain over the next 26 years, with the number of cases also expected to rise globally.
There were 181,807 deaths from cancer in Britain in 2022, they said, and this is expected to rise to 279,004 by 2050 – an increase of 53 percent.
Experts warned that officials must act now to limit the risk, especially when it comes to public health strategies.
Dr. Panagiota Mitrou, director of research, policy and innovation at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: ‘These new estimates show the increasing burden that cancer will bring in the coming years.
The UK government’s failure to prioritize prevention and tackle key risk factors for cancer, such as smoking, unhealthy diet, obesity, alcohol and physical inactivity, has partly exacerbated health inequalities.
‘We know that around 40 percent of cancer cases could be prevented – now is the time to turn the tide, by implementing policies that enable people to live healthier lives by reducing and prioritizing their exposure to risk factors to a national cancer plan that includes better screening. and early detection.”
Meanwhile, the IARC and WHO say global cancer cases are expected to increase from 20 million in 2022 to 35 million in 2050, an increase of 77 percent.
The organizations estimate that cancer deaths around the world will nearly double, from 9.7 million in 2022 to 18.5 million in 2050.
Dr. Freddie Bray, head of cancer surveillance at IARC, said: We expect the world’s population to rise from eight billion in 2022 to almost 10 billion in 2050 and this will have a major impact on the number of new cancer cases. fallen.’
The IARC and WHO say countries must prepare well for the rise in cases and deaths.
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While the level of progress in cancer survival has been rapid in some forms of the disease, such as breast and prostate cancer, others, such as lung and pancreas, have improved only at a snail’s pace.
Dr. Bray added: ‘The impact of this increase will not be felt evenly across countries with different HDI (Human Development Index) levels.
“Those with the fewest resources to control their cancer burden will bear the brunt of the global cancer burden.”
Dr. Cary Adams, from International Cancer Control, said: ‘Cancer treatment outcomes vary not only between high and low income regions of the world, but also within countries.
‘Where someone lives should not determine whether he or she lives.
‘Tools exist to enable governments to prioritize cancer care, and to ensure everyone has access to affordable, quality services.’
Michelle Mitchell, CEO of Cancer Research UK, said: ‘This report highlights the international growth in cancer rates and some of the major health inequalities affecting people in countries around the world, including here in Britain.
‘Everyone deserves access to the best healthcare and Cancer Research UK is committed to supporting global action to prevent cancer, such as tobacco control and HPV vaccination.’