Global Cancer Statistics

Global cancer statistics are helpful as they provide a global overview of cancer statistics which include those in low- and middle-income countries.

The Global Cancer Observatory (GCO) is an interactive web-based platform that provides global cancer statistics to inform cancer control and research.

The GCO focuses on the visualization of cancer indicators using data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an independent agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), with the aim of promoting international collaboration in cancer research. The data presented in the Global Cancer Observatory is considered the best available in each country worldwide.

The focus of the GCO on low- and middle-income countries with high burdens of cancer has relevance in South Africa as it provides a global perspective of cancer incidence, mortality, and prevalence for 36 types of cancers in 185 countries. These global statistics also show changing trends in cancer incidence and mortality worldwide.