After lung, breast cancer now the most common cancer: WHO

Breast cancer is now the most common form of cancer, globally as it has surpassed lung cancer, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday.

Lung cancer was the most common form of the disease for the past two decades, but is at the second place and is followed by colorectal cancer which is third most common cancer, a cancer specialist at the WHO said.

The report further added that obesity among women was a common risk factor in breast cancer and seemed to drive overall numbers. Approximately 2.3 million new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed last year.

Cancer numbers are estimated to grow with the rise in life expectancy and global population, from 19.3 million cases a year in 2020 to 30 million new cases a year in 2040, the report noted. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected diagnosis, research and treatment in half of the countries that were surveyed.