Oak Hill, WV (CNN)- There’s a grim report just out about the number of people worldwide expected to be diagnosed with cancer in the years ahead.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates global cancer diagnoses will hit 35 million by 2050, representing a 77 percent increase from the 20 million diagnosed in 2022.
Researchers looked at 185 countries and 36 forms of the deadly disease.
They found that lung cancer was the most common form around the world in 2022.
Female breast, colorectal, prostate, and stomach cancers were the next highest diagnoses.
Researchers say obesity, tobacco, and alcohol use, as well as environmental factors like air pollution, are the reasons for the expected increase in rates.
The WHO says there are also inequities in cancer burden across developed nations – concerning rates of diagnoses and cancer deaths.
A report last month from the American Cancer Society shows the number of people dying from the disease continues to go down in the US.
But it notes that certain forms of cancer are rising.
