Cancer to be Leading Cause of Death Worldwide by 2010

Sunday December 14, 2008

According to a new World Cancer Report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, cancer is expected to overtake heart disease as the number one killer of people around the world by the year 2010.

The report, which was discussed by leading cancer organizations at an event on December 9th in Atlanta, Georgia called Conquering Cancer: A Global Effort laid out some disturbing statistics and predictions:

Cases of cancer doubled globally between 1975 and 2000

Cancer cases will double again by 2020

Cancer cases will nearly triple by 2030

Approximately 12 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed and caused more than 7 million deaths worldwide this year

Estimates are that there will be 20 to 26 million new diagnoses and 13 to 17 million cancer-related deaths for the year 2030.

The report points to low to middle-income countries as being at a higher risk for cancer death than industrialized nations where anti-smoking legislation and good health care are available for citizens.

Peter Boyle, PhD, DSc, director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, explains: "The rapid increase in the global cancer burden represents a real challenge for health systems worldwide. However, there is a clear message of hope: Although cancer is a devastating disease, it is largely preventable. We know that preventive measures, such as tobacco control, reduction in alcohol consumption, increased physical activity, vaccinations for hepatitis B and human papillomavirus, and screening and awareness, could have a great impact on reducing the global cancer burden."

Leading US cancer organizations unite against the growing global cancer burden - EurekaAlert

The Global Tobacco Crisis

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization published a startling report on the state of tobacco use around the world, along with some dire predictions about our future, should we continue on the path we're presently walking. Based on current trends in tobacco use worldwide, they tell us that we are poised on the brink of a global tobacco epidemic that could claim as many as one billion lives this century.