Overview

• New projections from the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study estimate 30.5 million new cancer diagnoses and 18.6 million deaths in 2050.
• Over half of future cases and about two‑thirds of deaths are expected in low‑ and middle‑income countries, highlighting widening inequities.
• Rising totals are driven largely by population growth and ageing, with global age‑standardised death rates declining overall but worsening in some lower‑income settings.
• About 42% of the 10.4 million cancer deaths in 2023 were linked to modifiable risks, with tobacco alone accounting for roughly 21%.
• Authors urge investment in prevention, early detection, cancer registries and treatment capacity, while noting data gaps and exclusions that add uncertainty to long‑term forecasts.