New Cancer Cases Projected to Nearly Double by 2050, Says WHO - Video

Cancer is claiming over 26,000 lives every day worldwide, and the cases are expected to nearly double by 2050, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Status Report on Cancer 2026. The report also highlights India as one of the countries bearing a significant share of the world's growing cancer burden.

WHO estimates 20.6 million new cancer cases and nearly 10 million deaths every year, with annual cancer cases projected to rise to almost 35 million by 2050 if urgent action is not taken. The report warns that persistent inequalities in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care continue to leave millions without access to essential services.

India is among the countries included in WHO's comparison of age-standardized cancer incidence and mortality trends alongside China, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

The report also highlights cancer's devastating social impact. In 2020, cancer-related deaths left 1.04 million children as maternal orphans and 1.41 million as paternal orphans worldwide. India, together with China, Nigeria, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Pakistan, accounted for nearly 40% of all new maternal orphans globally due to cancer.

WHO further acknowledged India's global leadership in cancer control. The 2023 Indian G20 Declaration endorsed WHO cancer initiatives under the broader noncommunicable disease agenda. India was also identified, alongside China, as a major producer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for cancer medicines, making it a critical player in the global supply chain.

The report also recognised Indian research demonstrating that locally adapted lymphoma treatments can improve outcomes while reducing treatment toxicity. India contributed 12 primary studies on cancer quality of life—second only to China among low- and middle-income countries—underscoring its growing role in global cancer research.

Lastly, WHO called for greater investment in equitable, people-centred cancer care, stronger prevention programmes, and universal access to diagnosis, treatment, and supportive services to reduce the growing global cancer burden.

REFERENCE: Global status report on cancer 2026: the future we choose together. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2026. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO WHO global status report on cancer