GLOBOCAN 2020 Report on Global Cancer Burden: Challenges and Opportunities for Surgical Oncologists

Cancer is emerging as a major public health challenge globally. Recently, IARC (International Association of Research on Cancer) published global cancer burden using GLOBOCAN 2020 estimates for 36 cancers in 185 countries of the world. As per the estimates of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019, cancer is the first or second leading cause of death in 112 of 183 countries. The major takeaways of the GLOBOCAN 2020 report relevant to the surgical oncology community include the rising global burden of cancer, global disparity in cancer incidence and mortality in different geographic regions, and the impact of the human development index (HDI) on cancer incidence and projected global cancer burden by 2040. In this article, we discuss the implications of the GLOBOCAN report on future global cancer control strategies and the role of surgical oncologists in the fight against cancer.

Automated summary

Cancer is becoming a major global public health challenge, with the burden of cancer increasing globally according to the GLOBOCAN 2020 report which estimates the occurrence of 36 cancers in 185 countries. There are global disparities in cancer incidence and mortality in different geographic regions, and the human development index (HDI) also affects cancer incidence and projected global burden. Surgical oncologists play a crucial role in future global cancer control strategies.