Global economic cost of cancer is projected to surpass $33.2 trillion by 2050, with nearly 35 million people expected to develop the disease each year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The projection is contained in the WHO Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, developed in collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which assessed global progress in cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, while warning that widening inequalities in access to life-saving services continue to undermine efforts to reduce the disease burden.

According to the report, cancer remains the world’s second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease, accounting for an estimated 20.6 million new cases and nearly 10 million deaths annually. More than 26,000 people die from the disease every day, while about one in five people will develop cancer during their lifetime.

WHO warned that without urgent action, the global cancer burden will continue to rise sharply over the coming decades, stressing that reversing the trend will require a fundamental shift towards people-centred cancer care that prioritises prevention, early diagnosis, timely treatment and supportive care.

The report found that despite significant advances in cancer control, millions of people continue to face barriers to essential services. It noted that while 87 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive for at least five years after diagnosis in high-income countries, survival falls to about 42 per cent in low-income countries.

It also revealed that fewer than one in three countries currently include cancer care in their universal health coverage packages.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the findings demonstrated that where people live and how much they earn continue to determine their chances of surviving cancer.

According to him, cancer affects almost everyone either directly or through someone they love, yet survival should never depend on birthplace or income.

He said the disparities highlighted in the report are the result of policy choices and can be reversed through stronger leadership, sustained investment and coordinated action.

The organisation further warned that cancer continues to impose enormous social and economic hardship on affected households. Findings from its first global survey of people living with cancer showed that at least 45 per cent experience financial difficulties, more than half report mental health challenges, while nearly all caregivers shoulder significant burdens, including unpaid caregiving responsibilities and social isolation.

WHO identified lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Among men, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers remain the most diagnosed cancers, while breast, lung and colorectal cancers account for a substantial proportion of cases among women.

IARC Director, Dr Elisabete Weiderpass, said countries that have implemented comprehensive prevention policies have recorded declines in some cancer rates, but warned that overall progress remains too slow.