Cancer in Africa, 2022: Incidence, Mortality, and Age-Patterned Fatality From GLOBOCAN Across 36 Cancer Types

To describe cancer incidence, mortality, and mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs) in Africa in 2022 by age and country to inform cancer control planning.

We conducted a descriptive analysis of GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates, summarizing age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), mortality (ASMR) per 100,000, and MIR (ASMR/ASIR). Two lenses were applied: age bands (0-19, 20-44, 45-69, ≥70 years) and country concentration curves, which identify the smallest set of countries accounting for 50% and 80% of the burden.

In 2022, there were 1,154,584 new cancer cases and 754,574 deaths. Breast, cervix uteri, prostate, colorectal, and liver cancers dominated incidence, whereas liver, lung, cervix uteri, breast, and stomach cancers dominated mortality. Around 80% of incident cases occurred in 15 countries. MIR increased with age and was highest at ≥70 years. Liver, lung, stomach, and brain/central nervous system cancers showed consistently high MIR. Cancer site profiles differed by life stage, with hematologic cancers predominating in childhood and adolescence and breast, cervix, prostate, and colorectal cancers predominating from mid-adulthood onward.

Cancer mortality in Africa is high, rises with age, and is concentrated in few countries. Age-band and country-concentration lenses identify priorities for human papillomavirus and hepatitis B vaccination, tobacco control, and oncology packages in high-burden settings.