By MONICA KAYOMBO/Zambia, Lusaka,
THE world is facing a growing cancer crisis, with the number of new cancer cases projected to rise sharply in the coming decades unless countries urgently strengthen prevention, early detection and access to treatment.
In a global cancer update issued on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that annual cancer cases could increase from the current 20.6 million cases to nearly 35 million cases by 2050 if urgent action is not taken. The warning was contained in the WHO Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, developed jointly with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Cancer remains the world’s second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases, claiming nearly 10 million lives annually. WHO estimates that cancer kills more than 26,000 people every day, highlighting the urgent need for countries to move beyond treating cancer and invest more aggressively in prevention.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said cancer survival should not depend on where a person is born or their ability to pay for care.
“Cancer is a deeply personal disease that touches nearly all of us,” Dr Tedros said, warning that the inequalities documented in cancer prevention and treatment are not inevitable but are the result of policy choices that can be changed through stronger action.
Growing inequalities in cancer care
The WHO report highlights widening inequalities between wealthy and poorer nations in access to cancer diagnosis, treatment and supportive care.
While about 87 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive at least five years after diagnosis in high-income countries, survival drops to approximately 42 percent in low-income countries. WHO further notes that fewer than one-third of countries have included comprehensive cancer care within their universal health coverage packages.
The burden is not only medical but also social and economic. WHO’s first global survey of people affected by cancer found that at least 45 percent experience financial hardship, while more than half report mental health challenges. Families and caregivers also experience significant emotional, social and financial strain.
Prevention remains the strongest weapon
WHO says prevention remains one of the most powerful tools in reducing cancer deaths, noting that nearly four in every ten cancer cases globally are linked to preventable risk factors.
These include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B and C.
This warning comes at a time when global health organisations are increasingly calling for stronger systems to help people quit tobacco, one of the leading preventable causes of cancer.
A recent report by Vital Strategies on strengthening tobacco cessation systems argues that millions of tobacco users want to quit but often lack access to structured support systems. The report calls for countries to establish comprehensive tobacco cessation ecosystems that include counselling services, trained health workers, quit support programmes and affordable cessation medicines.
The organisation stresses that quitting tobacco should not be left entirely to individual willpower. Instead, governments should create supportive environments that make it easier for people to stop using tobacco products.
Progress is possible, but gaps remain
The WHO report acknowledges that important progress has been made. Tobacco use has declined by 27 percent since 2010, contributing to reductions in lung cancer rates in some countries. More countries have also developed national cancer control plans, with 82 percent now reporting such plans compared to 50 percent in 2010.
Vaccination programmes against HPV and hepatitis B are also helping prevent cancers linked to infections. However, WHO cautions that progress remains uneven, especially in low- and middle-income countries where access to essential medicines, screening services and specialist care remains limited.
For countries like Zambia, the WHO warning underscores the importance of strengthening cancer prevention strategies before the burden becomes overwhelming.
Experts say investments in tobacco control, public awareness, vaccination, early screening and stronger primary healthcare systems can save lives and reduce the financial pressure cancer places on families and health systems.
