Geneva, February 24, 2025 – A new analysis by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer agency, forecasts a significant rise in both breast cancer diagnoses and deaths worldwide by 2050.
The study, published in Nature Medicine, predicts that globally one in 20 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, with cases and deaths increasing by 38% and 68% respectively over the next 25 years.
In the United Kingdom, breast cancer cases are expected to rise from 58,756 per year in 2022 to 71,006 by 2050, while annual deaths could jump from 12,122 to 17,261—an increase of 21% in diagnoses and 42% in mortality. The study estimates that if current trends continue, there will be approximately 3.2 million new cases and 1.1 million deaths from breast cancer each year worldwide by 2050.
“Every minute, four women are diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide and one woman dies from the disease, and these statistics are worsening,” said IARC scientist Dr. Joanne Kim, one of the study’s authors. The analysis attributes the projected surge to a combination of factors, including a growing and aging global population, improvements in detection and diagnosis, and a higher prevalence of known risk factors such as increased alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity.
The study highlights that about a quarter of breast cancer cases could be prevented through lifestyle changes, including reducing alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy weight, and engaging in regular physical activity. It also notes that most new cases and deaths occur in women aged 50 and above, who account for 71% of new diagnoses and 79% of deaths.
The burden of breast cancer is not evenly distributed across the globe. Incidence rates are highest in Australia, New Zealand, North America, and northern Europe, while Asia and Africa report the lowest rates. However, death rates are highest in regions such as Melanesia, Polynesia, and west Africa.
Dr. Isabelle Soerjomataram, deputy head of IARC’s cancer surveillance branch, stressed the importance of continued progress in early diagnosis and improved access to treatment. “Continued progress in early diagnosis and improved access to treatment are essential to address the global gap in breast cancer and ensure that the goal of reducing suffering and death from breast cancer is achieved by all countries worldwide,” she said.
The findings underscore the urgent need for countries to adopt effective primary prevention policies and invest in early detection and treatment strategies to mitigate the impending rise in breast cancer cases and mortality, offering a call to action for global health policymakers.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 4 November, covering the latest developments you need to know....
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that Washington would explore "flexibility" for American troops stationed in South Korea to addres...
Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to boost mutual investment and deepen economic cooperation with Russia, as Moscow faces growing Western sanct...
Israel’s top military legal officer Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who resigned last week, has been arrested over the leak of a video showing soldiers brut...
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called on citizens to stand united as the United States increases its military presence in the Caribbean, accu...
The European Union is reportedly considering banning the use of ethanol as an active ingredient in biocidal products — including hand sanitisers — due to rising concerns about potential cancer risks, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
Scientists in Australia and the U.S. have developed an AI tool that could transform cancer care by revealing the hidden diversity of tumour cells and guiding more targeted therapies.
On the sun-soaked southern tip of China, a new kind of medical tourism is quietly unfolding. It’s not about cosmetic surgery or wellness spas but about survival.
Researchers have developed a new testing method that could diagnose brain tumors within hours, potentially allowing treatment to begin during surgery.
Russia said on Monday that its troops had advanced in the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, a transport and logistics hub that they have been trying to capture for over a year, but Ukraine said its forces were holding on.
At least 37 people have died and five are missing after devastating floods and landslides hit central Vietnam, officials said Monday, as a new typhoon threatens to worsen the disaster.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not believe the United States is going to war with Venezuela despite growing tensions, though he suggested President Nicolás Maduro’s time in power may be nearing its end.
On October 21, 2025, an Azerbaijani Airlines (AZAL) Gulfstream G650, call sign 4K-ASG, touched down at Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport. It was a historic event, commented many.
A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 struck near the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif early on Monday, leaving at least 20 people dead, hundreds injured, and causing significant damage to the city’s famed Blue Mosque, authorities said, warning that the death toll was expected to rise.
A prostate cancer blood test has been shown to reduce the risk of dying from the disease by 13% over two decades, researchers say.
Serious cases of a disorder of the large intestine are surging among Americans younger than 50, researchers say.
Russian President Vladimir Putin asked North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui during talks in the Kremlin on Monday to tell her country's leader Kim Jong Un that everything was "going to plan" in bilateral relations.
U.S. border czar says fentanyl should be considered a WMD.
U.S. states this week warned food aid recipients that their benefits may not be distributed in November if the federal government shutdown stretches into its fourth week.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment