EXPERTS, in a new study, have projected that global cancer cases and deaths among men are to rise 94 percent globally by 2050, especially among those 65 and older, warning that the current sharp disparity in cancer mortality and cases among men is likely to increase without interventions.
In order to forecast outcomes for 2050, researchers examined cases and fatalities from 30 distinct cancer types in 185 nations and territories in 2022 for their study, which was published in the journal Cancer.
The study projects overall cancer cases among men will increase from 10.3 million in 2022 to 19 million in 2050, an increase of 84 percent.
It was predicted that the number of cancer deaths will grow by 93%, from 5.4 million in 2022 to 10.5 million in 2050. It was predicted that deaths among men 65 and older would rise by 117%.
It is predicted that the percentage rise in mortality will vary from roughly 64% in more developed nations to 142% in less developed nations.
Lung cancer is predicted to continue to pose the greatest hazard in 2050, having been the primary cause of cancer-related deaths among males in 2022.
Between 2022 and 2050, mesothelioma—a malignancy of the tissue lining the heart, lungs, stomach, and other organs—is expected to rise at the highest rate, with prostate cancer expected to cause the largest increase in fatalities.
The researchers predict that between 2022 and 2050, there would be a 2.5-fold rise in incident cases and deaths in Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. On the other hand, an approximate 50% growth is anticipated in Europe.
The global age-adjusted cancer mortality rate in 2020 was 43 percent greater among men than among women. Similarly, the incidence rate was 19 percent greater among men than among women.
Men are already more likely than women to die from cancer. Men are more likely than women to smoke, drink alcohol, and be exposed to toxins at work—behaviours that are linked to a high number of cancer diagnoses. They’re also less likely to access screening programmes.
The researchers, however, said that stronger health infrastructure and access, including sufficient personnel, are required to both improve existing cancer outcomes and get ready for the increases predicted by 2050.
They added that expanding universal health coverage worldwide could strengthen “basic cancer care options,” noting that low-income countries are disproportionately affected by poor cancer outcomes and have low universal health coverage.
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