The warning comes in the Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, produced by WHO in collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). The report highlights growing pressure on health systems and significant disparities in cancer outcomes between high- and low-income countries.
Cancer remains the world’s second-leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease. The disease accounts for more than 20.6 million new cases and nearly 10 million deaths each year, equivalent to more than 26 000 deaths every day.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said access to cancer care remains uneven across the world. “Cancer is a deeply personal disease that touches nearly all of us. But whether a person survives cancer should never depend on where they were born or what they earn,” said Ghebreyesus.
The report found major differences in survival rates between wealthier and poorer countries. In high-income economies, 87% of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive for at least five years. In low-income countries, the figure falls to about 42%.
Access to treatment remains a key challenge. Fewer than one-third of countries currently include cancer care within universal health coverage programmes, leaving many patients without essential diagnostic services, treatment or support.
WHO’s first global survey of people affected by cancer also revealed the wider impact of the disease. At least 45% of respondents reported financial difficulties, while more than half experienced mental health challenges. Caregivers also reported significant pressures linked to unpaid care responsibilities and social isolation.
Regional trends show varying levels of disease burden. Asia accounted for more than half of global cancer cases and deaths in 2024, largely because of population size. Europe, home to around 9% of the world’s population, recorded 21% of cancer cases and 20% of deaths. Many countries across Africa and parts of Asia continue to report lower incidence rates but higher mortality levels.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Among men, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers are the most commonly diagnosed, while breast, lung and colorectal cancers are the leading cancers among women.
The report estimates that nearly 40% of cancer cases are linked to preventable risk factors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity and infections such as human papillomavirus and hepatitis B and C.
IARC Director Dr Elisabete Weiderpass said emerging health risks are reshaping the global cancer landscape. Weiderpass noted that rising obesity, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and air pollution are contributing to changing cancer patterns, reinforcing the need for prevention to remain a public policy priority.
While cancer control plans are now reported by 82% of countries, up from 50% in 2010, access to essential medicines remains unequal. Availability of priority cancer medicines ranges from 9% to 54% in low-and lower-middle-income countries, compared with 68% to 94% in high-income countries.
WHO said future cancer strategies must place patients and families at the centre of health systems, combining medical treatment with financial, emotional and social support.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
