Cancer kills the poor much more

Cancer is still unforgiving, and with nearly 10 million deaths per year (26 per day), it remains the second leading cause of death worldwide. These data, compiled by the WHO's Global Status Report on Cancer 2026 , were published on July 8, 2026, with some future estimates that certainly don't inspire optimism.

According to the World Health Organization report, annual cancer diagnoses could reach 35 million by 2050. But experts have already highlighted a fundamental divide: cancer is not the same for everyone, and it significantly affects populations in poor countries.

In high-income countries, approximately 85% of people with breast cancer survive at least 5 years; in low-income countries, 5-year survival drops to approximately 42%.

Why do the poorest die more? Several factors come into play: greater exposure to certain risks (e.g., smoking and working conditions), diet and environment, less access to prevention and screening, later diagnosis, and disparities in access to and quality of care. Affordability to major cancer drugs is much lower in low- and lower-middle-income countries; some poor countries even lack radiotherapy facilities.

Even in Europe, the gap is significant. An IARC study found significant inequalities in cancer mortality related to education level, with a substantial share of deaths associated with these inequalities.

Finally, another source of discrimination concerns the cost of treatment. Two-thirds of the world's countries do not include cancer in universal health coverage, and the excessive costs of treatment force up to 90 percent of patients, especially in poor countries, to forgo treatment.

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