What’s going on: Is our risk of developing cancer getting better, or worse? That could depend on where you live. A new World Health Organization (WHO) report projects annual cancer cases will rise to 35 million globally by 2050. Major reasons for the increase include obesity, alcohol and tobacco use, and longer lifespans. Cancer diagnoses have been trending upward in recent years — but they vary widely between higher- and lower-income countries. We have better screening and treatment technologies than ever before, but patients can’t benefit from those options if they can’t access them. Case in point: Cervical cancer has been all but eliminated in some parts of Europe and North America… yet in many sub-Saharan African countries, it’s still the most common cancer.
What about here?: The US mirrors these global trends. The good news: New data shows that US cancer mortality rates have fallen 35% in recent decades, even as more older Americans are diagnosed with age-related cancers. However, disparities across race and income remain a huge problem, with Black and Indigenous Americans the most likely to die of cancer. We’re all paranoid about carcinogens in our water, air, and soil — but we’re not all at equal risk. Take Louisiana’s Cancer Alley: After petrochemical companies took over, cancer rates spiked. But there's still time to change the 2050 trajectory. Leveling the global and local playing fields through more research, funding, prevention, and outreach would be a good place to start.
