World Cancer Day 2026: Why the disease is rising rapidly among young adults

As the world marks World Cancer Day 2026, new projections from the World Health Organisation (WHO) have issued a stark warning.

According to the WHO and UN, the global cancer cases are expected to rise by 77% by 2050. 

This intensifies pressure on global health systems and indicates widening global health inequalities.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reported that more than 35 million new cancer cases are projected globally in 2050, rising from an estimated 20 million in 2022.

Unequal burden, unequal outcomes

WHO reported that high human development index (HDI) countries are expected to see the largest number of cancer cases, including 4.8 million cancer cases raise by 2050. 

However, lower-income nations are expected to experience more than 140% raise. 

Experts noted that the deaths from cancer are projected to almost double.

The increase in cancer cases also causes an unequal burden on world nations. 

WHO survey of 115 countries found that only 39% are able to finance cancer services as part of universal health coverage, while 28% can deliver palliative care, such as pain relief.

The cancers driving the crisis.

According to 2022 data reported by IARC, ten cancer types account for nearly two-thirds of new cases and deaths worldwide.

• Lung cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer, with 2.5 million new cases, and the leading cause of cancer death, responsible for 1.8 million deaths.
• Female breast cancer ranked second in incidence, with 2.3 million cases, followed by colorectal, prostate, and stomach cancers.
• Colorectal cancer was the second leading cause of cancer death globally, after lung cancer.
• Cervical cancer remains the most common cancer among women in 25 countries, many in sub-Saharan Africa, despite being largely preventable through vaccination and screening.

Why are cancer cases rising worldwide?

Recent studies from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and the American Cancer Society noted that various factors, including population ageing and growth alongside rising levels of air pollution, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and obesity, contribute to cancer in young adults.

In young adults, the rising cancer cases are due to lifestyle factors such as high consumption of processed foods, rising obesity rates, increased alcohol intake, and smoking. 

Another major factor is increasing environmental risks. Factors such as microplastics and changes in the gut microbiome, alongside chronic inflammation, are also considered key contributors.

While screening improvements have helped detect some cancers earlier, specialists stress that better detection alone does not explain the scale of the increase.