A new study published in The Lancet Oncology has revealed that the global cancer burden among adolescents and young adults will increase by 12% by 2050.
The research, based on data from the Global Cancer Observatory and the UN World Population Prospects, highlights alarming trends in cancer incidence and mortality for this age group.
In 2022, approximately 1.3 million cancer cases and 377,621 deaths were recorded among adolescents and young adults worldwide.
The study found that females had higher cancer rates, with the age-standardised incidence rate 1.9 times greater than males, and mortality 1.2 times higher.
“Breast and cervical cancers were the leading causes of both incidence and deaths.”
While high-income countries reported the highest cancer incidence rates, low-income countries faced a disproportionately higher mortality rate.
Dr. Isabel O’Neill, lead researcher, noted, “The disparity between high- and low-income countries underscores the critical need for equitable healthcare access.”
The study also found that while countries with very high human development indexes will see a 10.7% decline in cancer burdens by 2050, countries with low human development indexes will face a staggering 102.3% increase in both cancer incidence and mortality.
Overall, the study forecasts a dramatic rise in global cancer cases, with 35.3 million cases and 18.5 million deaths projected by 2050 across all age groups.
