As global cancer rates continue to rise, researchers and physician-scientists at UMass Chan Medical School are helping to explain why and what can be done to reverse the trend.
A new analysis published in The Lancet by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and Global Burden of Disease Cancer Collaborators found that worldwide cancer cases doubled from about 9 million in 1990 to 18.5 million in 2023. Cancer deaths also climbed to 10.4 million last year. Projections indicate diagnoses could reach 30.5 million a year by 2050. The study found the sharpest increases in non-melanoma skin, breast, prostate and colorectal cancers, driven by aging populations, better detection and lifestyle-related risk factors.
UMass Chan experts note that although population growth and aging remain key contributors, lifestyle and environmental exposures are becoming increasingly influential.
Beyond traditional risks
Jan Fouad, MD, assistant professor of medicine, said lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death—but the underlying risks are shifting.
“Notable emerging risk factors include pollution found in ambient air—especially PM 2.5 fine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream—secondhand smoke and prior chest radiotherapy,” Dr. Fouad said. “There have also been some links made to things like high fasting plasma sugar levels.”
On whether alcohol plays a role, he noted: “There is limited and inconsistent evidence linking alcohol consumption to lung-cancer risk, and many associations are confounded by smoking.”
He emphasized one clear opportunity for action: “One of the most important things we can emphasize is lung cancer screening for early detection. Of those eligible to undergo screening with low-dose CT, estimates are that only 13 to 22 percent of people actually get them. Yet we know that early detection allows for diagnosis, care and curative-intent treatment.”
