Globally, 18.5 Million Incident Cancer Cases and 10.4 Million Deaths Reported in 2023

FRIDAY, Oct. 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- In 2023, there were 18.5 million incident cases of cancer and 10.4 million deaths worldwide, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in The Lancet.Lisa M. Force, M.D., M.P.H., from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2023 framework to generate and analyze estimates of cancer burden for 47 cancer types or groupings from 1990 to 2023.The researchers found 18.5 million incident cases of cancer (excluding nonmelanoma skin cancers) and 10.4 million deaths in 2023, contributing to 271 million disability-adjusted life-years globally. Of these, 57.9 and 65.8 percent of incident cases and cancer deaths, respectively, occurred in low- to upper-middle-income countries. In 2023, cancer was the second leading cause of death globally after cardiovascular diseases, and there were 4.33 million risk-attributable cancer deaths globally, comprising 41.7 percent of all cancer deaths. From 1990 to 2023, there was an increase of 72.3 percent in risk-attributable cancer deaths; during the same period, overall global cancer deaths increased by 74.3 percent. The reference forecasts estimate there will be 30.5 and 18.6 million cases and deaths, respectively, from cancer globally in 2050, representing increases of 60.7 and 74.5 percent from 2024. These forecasted increases in deaths are greater in low- and middle-income than in high-income countries (90.6 versus 42.8 percent)."Cancer remains an important contributor to disease burden globally and our study highlights how it is anticipated to grow substantially over the coming decades, with disproportionate growth in countries with limited resources," Force said in a statement.Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)Editorial (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Globally, 18.5 Million Incident Cancer Cases and 10.4 Million Deaths Reported in 2023

Related Stories