A new World Health Organization report has warned that cancer is placing a devastating human and economic burden on societies worldwide, claiming more than 26,000 lives every day and exposing major inequalities in survival rates between rich and poor countries.
Experts say the chances of surviving cancer often depend on where a person lives. While one in four people in Europe and North America is expected to develop cancer, only around one in 12 dies from the disease. In sub-Saharan Africa, however, outcomes are far worse because of limited access to early diagnosis and treatment.
The report highlights the stark disparity in breast cancer survival. In high-income countries, nearly 90 percent of women diagnosed with the disease survive for at least five years. In low-income nations, that figure drops to just over 40 percent.
Breast cancer survivor and patient advocate Abigail Simon-Hart said access to private medical insurance enabled her to receive rapid treatment in the United Kingdom, but warned that many patients in countries such as Nigeria face delayed diagnoses, limited healthcare and severe financial hardship.
With an estimated 20.6 million new cancer cases and nearly 10 million deaths each year, the WHO says annual diagnoses could climb to almost 35 million by 2050 unless urgent action is taken to expand prevention, improve treatment and reduce global inequalities in cancer care.
