Despite significant scientific progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, cases of the disease are expected to rise, while millions of patients worldwide continue to face serious physical, psychological and financial consequences after diagnosis, a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) warns.
According to WHO estimates, one in five people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime, while the disease is expected to affect, directly or indirectly, 92% of the global population, either through a personal diagnosis or through the illness of a close family member.
The report records approximately 20.6 million new cancer cases and 10 million deaths annually today, with cases projected to rise to nearly 35 million by 2050. However, the WHO stresses that the burden of the disease is not distributed equally. In high-income countries, 85% of patients with breast cancer or childhood cancers survive for at least five years, while in the poorest countries the corresponding rate falls below 30%.
Cancer will affect 92% of the global population, either directly, by affecting individuals themselves, or indirectly, by affecting a close family member.
Inequalities are also reflected in access to treatment. Two in three countries do not include cancer in universal health coverage packages, while in some systems up to 90% of patients abandon treatment because of cost. In low- and lower-middle-income countries, the availability of essential cancer medicines remains limited, while 23 countries have no radiotherapy facilities.
At the same time, the report notes that four in ten new cases are linked to known risk factors, such as smoking, infections, alcohol and excess body weight, underlining the need for stronger prevention as well as equal access to care.
Source: Guardian
What is fyi.news?
