Cancer is a leading cause of disease worldwide. In 2012, there were an estimated 14.1 million new cases of cancer in the world: 7.4 million (53%) in males and 6.7 million (47%) in females, giving a male:female ratio of 10:9.[1] The World shows that there are 205 new cancer cases for every 100,000 men in the world, and 165 for every 100,000 females.[1]
Use our interactive tool to explore the data by world region and individual country. For each region or country, numbers of cases and World incidence rates are given for all cancers combined and the most common cancers in that area.
Interactive Map of Cancer Incidence, World, 2012 Estimates
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Cancer incidence and mortality statistics should be interpreted bearing in mind population size and age.[2] Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is excluded. Kaposi sarcoma (C46) is included for Sub-Saharan Africa only.[1]
The World AS incidence rates in males vary more than four-fold across the different world regions, ranging from 79 per 100,000 in Western Africa to 365 per 100,000 in Australia/New Zealand (2012).[1] In females, rates vary around three-fold, ranging from 103 per 100,000 in South-Central Asia to 295 per 100,000 in Northern America (2012).[1]
France has the highest cancer incidence in males (385 per 100,000), while Denmark has the highest rates in females (328 per 100,000) (2012).[1] Out of 193 countries worldwide, the UK has the 37th highest cancer incidence rate for males and the 14th highest for females (2012).[1]
Incidence rates also vary by Human Development Index (HDI) values. In males, incidence rates vary around three-fold between very high HDI countries (316 cases per 100,000) and low HDI countries (103 cases per 100,000) (2012).[1] In females, rates vary around two-fold between very high HDI countries (253 cases per 100,000) compared to low HDI countries (123 cases per 100,000) (2012).[1]
Despite the lower rates, their large population size means that the Less Developed Regions (LDRs) carry a substantial burden of cancer, accounting for over half (57%) of the world’s cancer cases.[1]
Caution should be taken when interpreting cancer incidence by HDI values because differences may reflect differences in data quality.
See also
Find out more about the definitions and evidence for this data
Cancer mortality statistics by world region
Cancer incidence in the UK compared to Europe
Cancer incidence in the UK compared to worldwide
References
- Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Ervik M, et al. GLOBOCAN 2012 v1.0, Cancer Incidence and Mortality Worldwide: IARC CancerBase No. 11 [Internet]. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2013. Available from: http://globocan.iarc.fr, accessed December 2013.
- United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2013). UN World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision. Accessed November 2013.