WHO predicts a 77% raise in cancer cases by 2050

THE World Health Organisation has recently predicted that cancer cases around the world will rise up to 77 per cent by 2050, which signifies almost 35 million new cases in the following 30 years.

Moreover, far from being a sudden spike, this is a constant tendency that has seen the prevalence of different types of cancer become more prevalent in families today.

Why is that?

One of the main factors that the WHO affirms is a cause of the steady rise in cancer cases is the exponential growth in the world’s population –we have just crossed the 8.1 billion threshold– and it’s progressively ageing, especially in the more developed countries.

Another cause that the Organisation points out is the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and obesity, which has a direct correlation with the worsening of living standards.

Last but not least, there’s the environmental influence, as the increased pollution and the abundance of microplastics in the air and water worsen the living conditions and drive up the risk of developing a cancerous tumour.

Lung cancer most common form

The pollution-related factors worsen especially in urban areas, where the amount of suspended particles generated by transport – from the exhaust fumes, tyres, and even the usage of the brakes– make the population more susceptible to developing lung cancer, which, according to the WHO, is the most common form.