Number of people worldwide living with cancer today: 24.6 million
Percentage of global mortality caused by cancer: 12.5%
Number of people worldwide killed by cancer in 2002: 6.7 million
Most common cancers in developed nations: lung cancer; also prostate, breast and bowel
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Cancer deaths in the US each day: 1500
Estimated number of new US cases of cancer diagnosed in 2005: 1.4 million
Number of new UK cases of cancer diagnosed in 2001: 270,000
Annual financial cost of cancer to US, through medical expenditure and lost productivity: $189 billion
Number of people aged over 65 in US who are cancer survivors: 1 in 6
Most prevalent cancers in the developing world: Those triggered by infections; mostly stomach, liver and cervix
Proportion of cancers worldwide triggered by infections: 20%
Cancers most often cured: breast, prostate, colon and skin – if diagnosed early
Proportion of cancer deaths worldwide caused by tobacco, diet and infection: 43%
Proportion of cancer deaths worldwide caused by smoking: 30%
Relative increase in the number of annual cancer cases expected by 2025, as a result of the world’s ageing population: 50%
John Pickrell, 9 August 2005
Sources: World Health Organisation / Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US / Cancer Research UK
