Editorial: Recently Identified Global Trends in Cancer Incidence and Mortality and Modifiable Cancer Risk Factors

Recently analysed data from global population and epidemiological studies from 2022 and 2023 have shown that global incidence and mortality rates from cancer are escalating due to population growth and an increasingly aging population. There were up to 20 million new cancer diagnoses and 9.7 million deaths from cancer in 2022, with projections for cancer diagnoses to reach 35.3 million by 2050. However, recent analysis of the 2022 GLOBOCAN estimates of global and national cancer burden data by gender for 36 cancer sites in 185 countries showed that out of an estimated 18.7 million new cancer cases, 37.8% (7.1 million) were associated with 30 modifiable risk factors: 45.4% (4.3 million) in men and 29.7% (2.7 million) in women. Lung, stomach, and cervical cancer were the leading preventable cancers, and the main preventable risk factors for cancer included tobacco smoking (15.1%), infections with oncogenic viruses (10.2%), and alcohol consumption (3.2%). A third important recent finding is that while mortality rates from cancer have been falling in high-income countries such as the US, possibly due to better screening, diagnosis, and management, cancer incidence and mortality are increasing in low-income and middle-income countries. Finally, some recent lessons have been learned from the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer 'displacement' due to the disruption of cancer diagnostic and management services. This editorial presents four recently identified global trends in cancer incidence and mortality, including modifiable cancer risk factors that may affect individual lifestyle choices and inform global public health policy.