WHO Flags Widening Cancer Care Gap, Calls For Better Access To Essential Medicines

Cancer is no longer just a public health challenge but a growing economic and social crisis that is exposing stark inequalities in healthcare systems across the world, according to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) first-ever Global Status Report on Cancer 2026. The report warns that despite remarkable advances in prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, millions continue to die because they cannot access timely care or essential medicines.

The report, released jointly by the WHO and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), estimates that nearly 20.6 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year, while close to 10 million die from the disease, making it the world's second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases. Without urgent intervention, the annual number of new cancer cases is projected to rise to almost 35 million by 2050.

For India, where one in every 10 people is expected to develop cancer during their lifetime, the findings resonate with the country's own struggle to bridge the gap between rising cancer incidence and access to affordable diagnosis and treatment.

The report paints a sobering picture of widening inequities in cancer care. While survival rates have improved dramatically in wealthier nations, patients in low- and middle-income countries continue to face delayed diagnosis, limited treatment options and catastrophic healthcare expenses.

One of the most striking findings relates to breast cancer survival. While 87 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive for at least five years in high-income countries, the corresponding figure drops to around 42 per cent in low-income countries, highlighting how geography and income continue to determine outcomes.

The inequalities extend beyond treatment. Fewer than one in three countries currently include comprehensive cancer care under their universal health coverage programmes, leaving millions to pay out of pocket for expensive medicines, surgeries, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The WHO's survey involving people affected by cancer also sheds light on the hidden burden carried by patients and caregivers. Nearly 45 per cent of respondents reported financial hardship due to treatment costs, while more than half experienced anxiety, depression or other mental health challenges. Almost all caregivers said caring for a loved one resulted in emotional strain, social isolation and loss of income owing to unpaid caregiving responsibilities.

"Cancer is a deeply personal disease that touches nearly all of us. But whether a person survives cancer should never depend on where they were born or what they earn," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

"The inequities documented in this report are not inevitable; they are the consequence of choices, and they can be reversed through stronger and unified action," he added.

The report points to significant regional differences. Asia accounted for more than half of all global cancer cases and deaths in 2024, reflecting its large population. Europe, despite accounting for only about nine per cent of the world's population, contributed 21 per cent of cancer cases and one-fifth of global deaths. Several African nations continue to report comparatively lower incidence but significantly higher mortality because of delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment facilities.

Lung cancer continues to remain the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Among men, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers are the most common, while breast, lung and colorectal cancers account for the largest burden among women.

The report also reiterates that nearly 40 per cent of cancers are preventable, being linked to tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, air pollution and infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C, and Helicobacter pylori.

"While we are seeing reductions in some cancer rates in countries that have implemented prevention policies, progress has been too slow," said Elisabete Weiderpass, Director of IARC.

"The cancer profile is evolving, increasingly driven by rising rates of obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and air pollution. Cancer prevention must remain a political priority," she said.

The report acknowledges encouraging progress in several areas. Global tobacco use has declined by 27 per cent since 2010, contributing to reductions in lung cancer incidence in several countries. Vaccination against HPV and hepatitis B, improved sanitation and infection control have also reduced the burden of infection-related cancers.

Political commitment has strengthened over the past decade, with 82 per cent of countries now having national cancer control plans, compared to 50 per cent in 2010. Scientific innovation is also accelerating, with registered clinical trials increasing by more than seven per cent annually between 2005 and 2021.

However, experts caution that scientific breakthroughs alone cannot reduce cancer deaths unless they are translated into affordable treatment.

One of the report's biggest concerns is the continued lack of access to essential cancer medicines. Availability of the top 20 priority cancer medicines ranges from only 9 per cent to 54 per cent in low- and lower-middle-income countries, compared with 68 per cent to 94 per cent in high-income nations.

The findings come amid growing calls from oncologists and patient advocacy groups in India to strengthen access to cancer medicines through public health programmes. A coalition of health experts under the Working Group on Access to Medicine and Treatments has also urged the Indian government to ensure that the country's National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) includes a wider range of evidence-based cancer drugs, particularly newer targeted therapies and medicines for childhood cancers, to improve affordability and reduce out-of-pocket expenditure.

Public health experts have argued that inclusion in the NLEM can facilitate price regulation, improve procurement under government schemes and make life-saving medicines available across public hospitals, especially for economically weaker patients.

India may have made significant strides in expanding cancer infrastructure through initiatives such as the National Programme for Prevention and Control of NCDs, Ayushman Bharat and the establishment of additional tertiary cancer centres; access remains uneven, with specialised oncology services concentrated in metros and patients from smaller towns often travelling hundreds of kilometres for treatment.

The WHO report also stresses that cancer should not be viewed merely as a medical condition but as a lifelong social and economic challenge affecting entire families.

"Cancer is not just a medical diagnosis—it profoundly, indefinitely affects every aspect of a person's life and their family's as well," said Clarissa Schilstra, a childhood cancer survivor who contributed to the WHO survey.

"We urge policymakers to meaningfully engage with people affected by cancer. By voicing our lived experiences, we can inform more equitable, effective solutions to protect and promote the lives and well-being of future generations," she added.