Cancer in Africa 2012

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Noncommunicable diseases, particularly cancer, pose a significant and increasing burden on low and middle-income countries.
• Effective cancer control strategies necessitate robust data on disease incidence, mortality, and trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the incidence and mortality of cancer across Africa in 2012.
• To provide an updated appraisal of the cancer burden in Africa using GLOBOCAN 2012 data.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the GLOBOCAN 2012 database, compiled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
• Analyzed cancer incidence and mortality figures for all 54 African countries.

Main Results:

• Africa recorded 847,000 new cancer cases and 591,000 deaths in 2012, representing 6% and 7.2% of global totals, respectively.
• Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for approximately three-quarters of these cases and deaths.
• Leading cancers in men included prostate, liver, and Kaposi sarcoma; in women, breast and cervical cancers were most prevalent.

Conclusions:

• Significant deficiencies persist in cancer surveillance systems, particularly population-based cancer registries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Cancer cases and deaths in Africa are projected to increase by at least 70% by 2030.
• A coordinated approach is urgently needed to enhance cancer control services and improve surveillance systems across Africa.