Cancer trends
The global increase in cases of cancer is due to several factors: they include population growth and ageing, as well as the change in certain causes of cancer linked to social and economic development including diet, nutrition and physical activity. Changing our diet and physical activity, in a way that reduces the likelihood of cancer development, has the potential to cut this rise in cancer cases.
Worldwide data by cancer type
There were an estimated 18m cancer cases around the world in 2020: 9.5m cases in men and 8.5m in women. Find out which are the most common cancers globally.
Global cancer rates by country
Which country has the highest cancer rates? Find age-standardised rates for all cancers ordered by the countries with the 50 highest rates
Comparing cancer rates across countries
Explore how the rates of different cancer types vary across countries with varying levels of development
Bladder cancer statistics
Bladder cancer is the 10th most common cancer worldwide, with more than 573,000 new cases in 2020
Breast cancer statistics
Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, with more than 2.26 million new cases in 2020
Cervical cancer statistics
Cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer in women, with more than 604,000 new cases in 2020
Colorectal cancer statistics
Colorectal cancer is the 3rd most common cancer worldwide, with more than 1.9 million new cases in 2020
Endometrial cancer statistics
Endometrial cancer is the 6th most common cancer in women, with more than 417,000 new cases in 2020
Gallbladder cancer statistics
There were more than 115,000 new cases of gallbladder cancer in 2020.
Kidney cancer statistics
There were more than 400,000 new reported cases of kidney cancer worldwide in 2018
Liver cancer statistics
Liver cancer is the 6th most common cancer in men worldwide. Globally, there were more than 840,000 new cases in 2018.
Lung cancer statistics
Lung cancer is the 2nd most common cancer worldwide, with 2m new cases in 2018
Mouth and oral cancer statistics
There were more than 377,000 new cases of cancer of the lip and oral cavity worldwide in 2020
Nasopharyngeal cancer statistics
Nasopharyngeal cancer is the 22nd most common cancer worldwide with more than 133,000 new cases in 2020
Oesophageal cancer statistics
Oesophageal cancer is the 8th most common cancer worldwide, with more than 600,000 new cases in 2020
Ovarian cancer statistics
Ovarian cancer is the 8th most common cancer in women worldwide, with more than 313,000 new cases in 2020.
Pancreatic cancer statistics
Nasopharyngeal cancer is the 12th most common cancer worldwide. There were more than 495,000 new cases in 2020
Prostate cancer statistics
Prostate cancer affects more men than any other cancer, except lung cancer, with 1.4m new cases in 2020
Skin cancer statistics
There were more than 150,000 new cases of melanoma of skin in 2020. Non-melanoma skin cancer cases are not reported
Stomach cancer statistics
With more than 1 million new cases of stomach cancer in 2020, it’s the 5th most common cancer type worldwide
Cancer survival statistics
Why do cancer survival rates vary across both countries and cancer types?