Breast cancer is now the most diagnosed cancer worldwide, ahead of lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Lung cancer remains the most deadly. Our two infographics on the most common and deadliest cancers.
cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020, according to the report of Global Cancer Statistics 2020, edited by the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). It is estimated that 1 in 5 people will develop cancer during their lifetime and that 1 in 8 men and 1 in 11 women will die from it.
The most common cancers in the world
In 2020, the breast cancer became the most common cancer with 2.3 million cases diagnosed (11.7%), followed by lung cancer (11.4%), colorectal cancer (10%), prostate (7.3%) and stomach (5.6%). The impact of breast cancer stagnating in Europe and the United States, but it is increasing sharply in Africa and Asia, in particular due to changes in lifestyle (obesity, inactivity physical, late pregnancy, lowerfeeding with milk…).
The deadliest cancers in the world
Lung cancer remains the deadliest cancer, with 1.8 million deaths in 2020 (18%), ahead of colorectal cancer (9.4%), liver cancer (8.3%), stomach (7.7%) and breast (6.9%). Lung cancer, which kills twice as many men as women, is nevertheless largely preventable since its main cause is smoking (two thirds of cases). This cancer is particularly deadly, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10 or 20%.
The incidence of cancers is expected to increase sharply in the coming years, due to the aging of the population and the changes in lifestyle associated with the economic development of countries hitherto relatively spared. The report predicts 28.4 million cases of cancer worldwide by 2040, an increase of 47% compared to 2020.
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