For the last 30 years, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has prepared estimates of the global cancer burden. Beginning in 1975 with broad estimates of numbers of new cases for 12 common types of cancer in different areas of the world. Overall, there were 10.9 million new cases, 6.7 million deaths, and 24.6 million persons alive with cancer (within three years of diagnosis). The most commonly diagnosed cancers are lung (1.35 million), breast (1.15 million), and colorectal (1 million); the most common causes of cancer death are lung cancer (1.18 million deaths), stomach cancer (700,000 deaths), and liver cancer (598,000 deaths). The most prevalent cancer in the world is breast cancer (4.4 million survivors up to 5 years following diagnosis).
FIGURE 1. Estimated Numbers of New Cancer Cases (Incidence) and Deaths (Mortality) in 2002. Data shown in thousands for developing and developed countries by cancer site and sex.
(Figure 1 adapted from Parkin et al., CA Cancer J Clin 2005; 55:74-108 http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/abstract/55/2/74)
FIGURE 2. Incidence, Mortality, and Prevalence by Location.
(Figure 2 adapted from Parkin et al., CA Cancer J Clin 2005; 55:74-108 http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/abstract/55/2/74)
FIGURE 3 Ten Leading Cancer Types for Estimated New Cancer Cases and Deaths, by Sex, United States, 2009
(Figure 3 adapted from Jemal et al., CA Cancer J Clin 2009; 59:225-249. http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/4/225?etoc)
Figure 3 indicates the most common cancers expected to occur in men and women in 2009. Among men, cancers of the prostate, lung and bronchus, and colon and rectum account for about 50% of all newly diagnosed cancers. Prostate cancer alone accounts for 25% (192,280) of incident cases in men. On the basis of cases diagnosed between 1996 and 2004, an estimated 91% of these new cases of prostate cancer are expected to be diagnosed at local or regional stages, for which 5-year relative survival approaches 100%.
This year alone, nearly 8 million people will die of cancer worldwide. Sixty percent of all cancer is preventable. One-third can be cured if detected early and treated adequately. By 2030, there could be 27 million incident cases of cancer, 17 million cancer deaths annually and 75 million persons alive with cancer within five years of diagnosis. Cancer is projected to become the leading cause of death worldwide in the year 2010. The burden of cancer doubled globally between 1975 to 2000. It is estimated that it will double again by 2020 and nearly triple by 2030 (source: http://livestrongblog.org/).
