Cancer cases and deaths among men are expected to rise dramatically by 2050, according to a study published Monday (12). The biggest increases in the incidence of cases and deaths are expected for men aged 65 and over.
For the studypublished in the journal Cancer, researchers from Australia analyzed cases and deaths from 30 types of cancer in 185 countries and territories in 2022 to make projections for 2050.
The study projects that the total number of cancer cases among men will increase from 10.3 million in 2022 to 19 million in 2050, an increase of 84%. Cancer deaths are expected to rise from 5.4 million in 2022 to 10.5 million in 2050, an increase of 93%. Deaths among men aged 65 and older are expected to increase by 117%.
Countries with lower incomes and life expectancy are also expected to see larger increases in cancer deaths among men. “Between 2022 and 2050, in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean, the number of incident cases and deaths is projected to increase 2.5-fold. In contrast, Europe is expected to experience an increase of about half that,” the researchers wrote.
Men are already more likely than women to die from cancer. Men are more likely to smoke and drink alcohol, behaviors that can cause many types of cancer, and they are more likely to be exposed to carcinogens in the workplace. They are also less likely to access screening programs.
As in 2022, lung cancer is expected to remain the leading cause of cancer and cancer deaths in men in 2050. The cancers with the largest projected increases in men through 2050 are mesothelioma for cases and prostate cancer for deaths.
The researchers say more robust access to healthcare and adequate infrastructure — including a sufficient workforce — are needed to improve current cancer-related outcomes and prepare for expected increases by 2050.
Expanding universal health coverage worldwide could strengthen “basic cancer treatment options,” they wrote, noting that low-income countries are disproportionately affected by poor cancer-related outcomes and have low universal health coverage.
Earlier this year, a American Cancer Society report concluded that population growth and aging are the main factors influencing the global burden of cancer, with the world population of around 8 billion people in 2022 projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050.
Regarding the number of cancer cases around the world, “we believe that number will increase to 35 million by 2050, largely due to the increasing aging population,” he previously told CNN William Dahut, chief scientific officer of the American Cancer Society.
If more people also use tobacco and more people have obesity, along with other risk factors for cancer, the society said the projected number of cancer cases could be even higher — especially in low-income countries.
*CNN’s Jacqueline Howard contributed to this report.
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