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The incidence of cancer worldwide

Each year 10.9 million people worldwide are diagnosed with cancer, because of the size of its population most of these people (45%) are in Asia (Table 2.11).

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There is a five-fold difference in male cancer incidence rates worldwide and a four-fold difference in female rates. Male rates are highest in the USA, Hungary and New Zealand and are lowest in Niger, Gambia and the Congo. Female cancer incidence rates are highest in the USA, Israel and New Zealand and lowest are in Tunisia, Gambia and Oman1).

The UK male incidence rate ranks 25th in the world and the female rate ranks 8th.

Cancer prevalence

It is estimated that worldwide there are 24.6 million people alive who have received a diagnosis of cancer in the last five years. Around half of these people live in Europe and North America. Prevalence includes people with a diagnosis who will be cured and others who will die, and reflects both the incidence of cancer and its associated survival pattern.

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References for cancer incidence worldwide

1. Ferlay J, et al., GLOBOCAN 2002. .Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide. IARC CancerBase No.5, Version 2.0. IARCPress, Lyon, 2004.

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