India has the highest oral cancer incidence globally, with persistent age and gender disparities, and the disproportionate burden relative to population size reflects entrenched behavioural risk factors and systemic gaps in prevention, screening and treat-ment.
Abstract
Background: India bears a disproportionate burden of oral cancer globally. We aimed to provide an updated epidemiological assessment of oral cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence in India using GLOBOCAN 2022 data, contextualised within the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEARO). Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional analysis was done using GLOBOCAN 2022 data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. India was compared with other SEARO countries and temporal trends (1992–2017) were analysed using cancer in five continents data and Indian National Cancer Registry Programme data. Age-standardised rates (ASRs) were calculated per 100,000 population using the World Standard Population and 5-year prevalence and cumulative lifetime risk before age 75 were estimated. Results: In 2022, India reported 143,759 new oral cancer cases (10.2% of all cancers) with an ASR of 10.1 per 100,000 population. Males accounted for 75% of cases (ASR: 15.6 versus 5.0 per 100,000 in females). India recorded 79,979 deaths (8.7% of all cancer deaths) with mortality ASR of 6.4 per 100,000. The cumulative lifetime risk was 1.1%. India accounted for 81% of SEARO’s oral cancer burden despite representing 68% of the population. India’s incidence rates were 33% higher than the regional average (10.1 versus 7.5 per 100,000). Long-term trends (1992–2017) showed stabilising ASRs but increasing absolute numbers due to population growth. Tobacco and areca nut use account for approximately 70%–80% of cases. Conclusion: India has the highest oral cancer incidence globally, with persistent age and gender disparities. The disproportionate burden relative to population size reflects entrenched behavioural risk factors and systemic gaps in prevention, screening and treat-ment. Urgent priorities include enhanced tobacco control legislation, targeted risk-based screening expansion and leveraging digital health innovations to reduce oral cancer morbidity and mortality.
Light is shed on the prevalence of cancer in Somalia and the dire need for accessible and affordable oncology services in Somalia and the urgent to need to establish national or population-based cancer registries to determine cancer incidence, identify risk factors, and create national plan for cancer prevention, control, and treatment.
The study indicates that skin cancer remains an important public health issue worldwide and countries and regions should attach great importance to the prevention and treatment of skin cancers, and develop and improve preventive measures.
Abstract Background To evaluate global inequalities in prostate cancer incidence and mortality across countries with different levels of human development. Methods A cross-sectional ecological study was conducted using country-level data from the World Health Organization Global Cancer Observatory (v1.1) in June 2026. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) per 100,000 population in 2022 were extracted for prostate cancer. Human Development Index (HDI) was obtained from the United Nations Development Programme report 2022 for all available countries and used as a comparative macroeconomic indicator of socioeconomic development. Countries were classified into four categories of very high, high, medium, and low HDI. Mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs) were calculated for all countries, and global inequalities were assessed by comparing age-standardized rates and MIRs across HDI groups using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Statistical significance was defined as P value <0.05. Results A total of 1,467,854 (95%UI: 1,457,501–1,478,281) new cases and 397,430 (95%UI: 391,946–402,991) deaths were estimated for prostate cancer in 2022 worldwide, with an ASIR and ASMR of 29.4 and 7.3 per 100,000 population, respectively. Countries with very high HDI demonstrated the highest ASIR with 57.7, whereas the highest ASMR (14) was observed in the low HDI group. On the country-level analysis, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden had the highest ASIRs with 135, 109.9, and 104.3, whereas the highest ASMRs were observed in Chad, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with 49.4, 37.6, and 37.2 per 100,000 population, respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated a moderate positive association between HDI and the ASIR (ρ = 0.456, P <0.001), a weak negative association between HDI and ASMR (ρ = -0.203, P <0.01), and a strong negative association between HDI and MIR (ρ = -0.838, P <0.001), indicating that higher HDI is strongly associated with lower MIR (Figure 1). Conclusions Substantial inequalities in prostate cancer burden exist across the global development spectrum. Although countries with higher HDI experience greater prostate cancer incidence, lower HDI countries bear a disproportionately higher mortality burden and poorer outcome indicators.IUC26665-90 Figure 1 Scatter plot of the association between HDI and MIR for prostate cancer worldwide. The fitted regression line demonstrates the overall relationship between HDI and MIR.
M. Hosseini, Y. Vaez-Gharamaleki, A. Motamedi· The Oncologist· 0 citations
This review identifies barriers to effective disease management and discusses the current and future cancer burden across the African continent for non-specialist readers and those seeking to understand oncological care in Africa.
C. Kimwele, Catherine Kaluwa, A. Nyongesa et al.· Cancer Plus· 0 citations
The study demonstrated the persistent occurrence of oral cancer mortality throughout the analyzed decade, as well as low socioeconomic and healthcare access indicators in medium- and large-sized municipalities in the state of Alagoas.
Yasmin Tenorio Ferro Alencar, Sâmela da Silva Ferreira, Ana Clara da Silva Marinho et al.· Revista Brasileira de Cancer...· 0 citations
Cancer mortality in Alagoas is increasing steadily, characterized by premature deaths, geographic concentration, and care displacement, and decentralizing the oncology network, expanding screening for preventable tumors, and strengthening home palliative care are priority actions to reduce mortality.
Marianna Victória, C. Rocha, Adriana Martins da Conceição et al.· 0 citations