Cancer in Developing Countries

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently projected that in 2010, cancer would overtake ischemic heart disease as the leading cause of death in the world. Between 2005 – when some 7.6 million people died from cancer, accounting for 13% of global deaths – and 2015, it is anticipated that 84 million people will die of cancer. In 2008, approximately 72% of cancer deaths occurred in low and middle income countries where, although cancer has a lower incidence, survival rates are also much lower, largely because of delays in diagnosis leading to presentation with advanced disease. Many poor patients receive affordable (by their standards) or available treatment rather than optimal treatment, and those with little chance from benefitting from cancer treatment, or without financial support, are not infrequently sent home to die – without even the comfort of palliative care. Many patients – who remain uncounted – never reach a center capable of providing appropriate treatment. This catastrophe will soon become a crisis, since the global cancer burden is increasing rapidly in developing countries where populations continue to expand and communicable diseases are better controlled, resulting in longer life spans. Even so, approximately 50% of cancer in developing countries occurs in individuals less than 65 years of age. Moreover, the global economic cost brought about by disability or death that does not include the cost of patient care stands at approximately 900 billion US dollars per year – higher than that of heart disease.