Foreword

At the American Cancer Society, we often celebrate the extraordinary progress we have made to reduce the death and suffering from cancer, driven by dramatic changes in the use of combustible tobacco, strategies to detect cancer earlier, the explosion of new therapeutics, and a greater focus on survivorship. In fact, in the United States, the cancer mortality rate has declined 34% since 1991 averting approximately 4.5 million cancer deaths. Yet we cannot be satisfied with the status quo. Although we have made great advances in the nation, we still anticipate there will be greater than 2 million cancer diagnoses and over 600,000 cancer deaths in 2025. This number of cancer deaths is equivalent to the loss of the population of St. Louis, Missouri and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania every year due to cancer. 

If we have learned anything over the past decades, it is the importance of worldwide strategic cooperation in order to make real advances against significant health challenges. As you will see in the pages of the Cancer Atlas, Fourth Edition, the risk factors that are driving cancer diagnosis and mortality are becoming less geographically distinct. Although great strides have been made in tobacco use in some countries, tobacco smoking continues to be the leading cause of preventable cancer in many higher income countries with concerning trends in economically transitioning areas. Also, consumption of ultra processed food, heavy alcohol use, and sedentary lifestyle are increasingly adopted in economically transitioning countries.  Overall, close to half of cancer deaths globally are preventable by modifiable risk factors. This calls for concerted and coordinated efforts between local governments, health departments, community leaders, civic societies, and donors to implement proven interventions broadly in every community.

Cancer represents a critical societal and economic challenge to global health. The magnitude of the cancer burden is unprecedented, as a result of both population aging and growth and changes in exposures to risk factors linked to globalization. As of 2022, there were an estimated 19 million new cases of cancer worldwide and close to 10 million cancer deaths (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer). In view of ongoing demographic and epidemiologic transitions, the cancer burden is projected to rise by 74% in 2050, and become the leading cause of premature death in every country of the world in this century.

Although these statistics are of utmost concern, much can be done to reduce the future cancer burden. Cancer prevention strategies — including the reduction of risk factors and the implementation of effective interventions — have the potential to reduce new cancer diagnoses by 40%. Early detection, combined with timely, affordable, and effective treatment can markedly reduce the burden and suffering from the disease.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), plays a central role in advancing cancer prevention research globally. IARC’s mission is to lead interdisciplinary research efforts aimed at reducing cancer incidence via international collaboration, enhancing the scientific capacity of the global community in cancer prevention. By fostering a robust network of partnerships, IARC contributes to WHO’s cancer prevention programs, particularly in countries where the needs are greatest, thereby supporting global efforts to alleviate the cancer burden worldwide.