Millions of people are facing the physical, emotional and financial toll of cancer, a disease that claims more than 26,000 lives every day, said a report from the World Health Organization (WHO). With an estimated 20.6 million new cases and close to 10 million deaths annually, cancer remains the second leading cause of death globally, after cardiovascular disease, it added.Reversing this trend will require a fundamental shift towards a people-centred approach that responds to the health needs and lived experiences of affected people and communities. Without urgent action, the number of annual cancer cases is projected to rise to nearly 35 million by 2050, the UN health agency said.The WHO Global Status Report on Cancer 2026, developed jointly with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), provides an analysis of the progress across areas including political commitment, cancer prevention — particularly through tobacco control and vaccination programmes — and investment in treatment.The report reveals persistent and widening inequities in access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and supportive care, leaving millions of people without the services they need. Its analysis shows that while 87 per cent of women with breast cancer survive at five years after diagnosis in high-income countries, only about 42 per cent do so in low-income countries. Fewer than one in three countries currently include cancer care in their universal health coverage packages.Published on July 13, 2026