Worldwide, the most common cancers are, in order, lung, breast, bowel (colorectal), prostate and stomach cancer, and lung cancer causes the most cancer deaths [1, 2]. The ranking differs from country to country: in Iran, for example, the most common cancer in women is breast cancer, in men prostate cancer followed by stomach cancer, and stomach cancer causes the most cancer deaths in the country [3]. Many of these cancers can be prevented or found early by avoiding tobacco, treating H. pylori infection and having screening at the right time [1, 7].
Key points
- In 2024, nearly 21 million people worldwide were diagnosed with cancer and nearly 10 million died from it; 1 in 5 people develops cancer during their lifetime [1].
- Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world and also causes the most cancer deaths [1].
- Rankings differ by country: in Iran, for example, breast cancer is the most common cancer and stomach cancer the leading cause of cancer death [3].
- Nearly 4 in 10 cancers can be prevented today by avoiding risk factors and using known prevention methods [7].
What are the most common cancers in the world?
This list is based on the estimates of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (part of the World Health Organization) for 2024 [1, 2]. "Most common" means the cancer with the most new patients; "deadliest" means the cancer that causes the most deaths. The two lists are not the same: liver cancer, for example, is not among the top five for new patients, but it is the third leading cause of cancer death in the world [1].
| Rank | Most new patients | Most deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lung (about 2.6 million people) | Lung (nearly 1.9 million people) |
| 2 | Breast (about 2.4 million people) | Bowel (colon and rectum) |
| 3 | Bowel (colon and rectum) (about 2 million people) | Liver |
| 4 | Prostate (about 1.5 million people) | Breast |
| 5 | Stomach (nearly 1 million people) | Stomach |
Source: worldwide estimates for 2024 from the International Agency for Research on Cancer [1, 2].
The most common cancers in women and in men
- Women worldwide: the most common cancer is breast cancer, about 1 in 4 of all cancers in women [2]. It is followed by lung, bowel, thyroid and cervical cancer [2]. The most cancer deaths in women are, in order, from breast, lung and bowel cancer [2].
- Men worldwide: the most common cancers are, in order, lung, prostate, bowel, stomach and liver cancer [2]. The most cancer deaths in men are from lung, bowel and liver cancer [1, 2].
For the symptoms each of us should know, see signs of cancer in women and signs of cancer in men.
The most common cancers in children
Cancer in children is rare, but each year about 400,000 children and teenagers under 20 develop it worldwide [8]. The most common childhood cancers are leukaemia, brain tumours and tumours such as neuroblastoma and Wilms tumour (a kidney tumour of children); in teenagers, lymphoma, bone cancer and thyroid cancer are more common [8].
In Iran, for example, the national cancer registry recorded more than 14,000 children and teenagers with cancer from 2014 to 2018. The most common were, in order, leukaemia, tumours of the brain and nervous system, lymphoma, bone cancer and soft tissue cancer, and boys were affected slightly more often than girls [5].
Unlike in adults, most childhood cancers have no known cause, and very few are linked to lifestyle [8]. The good news is that in countries where full treatment is available, more than 8 in 10 children with cancer are cured [8]. See warning signs of cancer in children and Can childhood cancer be cured?
What is the worst, deadliest cancer?
"The worst cancer" can mean two things:
- The cancer that causes the most deaths: worldwide, lung cancer [1]. In some countries it is another cancer: in Iran, for example, stomach cancer causes the most cancer deaths [3].
- The cancer with the lowest chance of survival: in the United States, survival is lowest for pancreatic cancer: fewer than 2 in 10 patients are alive after 5 years. It is followed by liver and oesophageal cancer (about 1 in 5) and lung cancer (fewer than 3 in 10) [6].
At the other end, almost all patients with thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and melanoma (a type of skin cancer) in the United States are alive after 5 years [6]. The stage also matters a great deal: in the United States, 7 in 10 people with cancer are alive after 5 years, but when the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body, about 1 in 3 [6]. This is why finding cancer early matters so much. See What do cancer survival rates mean? and Which cancers are most curable?
Why do the most common cancers differ between countries?
- H. pylori infection: long-term infection of the stomach with this germ is the main cause of stomach cancer, and the large differences in stomach cancer between countries mostly reflect how common this infection is [1]. See Should I be tested for H. pylori?
- Smoking: differences in lung cancer between countries mostly reflect since when and how much people in each country have smoked [1].
- Screening and tests: in countries where the PSA test for the prostate has been widely used, more prostate cancer has been found [1]. Differences in breast cancer between countries reflect both risk factors and how much screening is done [1].
- Very hot drinks and opium: in Iran, drinking very hot tea and smoking opium have been linked to a type of oesophageal cancer [1]. See Does coffee or tea cause cancer? and Does opium cause cancer?
- An ageing population: cancer is more common at older ages; as the world's population grows and gets older, the number of new patients is expected to reach about 34 million a year by 2050 [1].
For the causes of cancer, see What causes cancer?
What can we do about the common cancers?
Avoiding tobacco, preventing cancer-causing infections, cutting down on alcohol and excess weight, and being more active are the most important ways to prevent cancer [1]. Finding cancer early also reduces its burden [7]. For food and cooking methods, see foods that raise or lower cancer risk and Do microwaves, burnt toast or fried food cause cancer? For each of the common cancers, one concrete step:
Breast cancer
Effective screening and treatment exist for breast cancer [1]. Show any new change in your breasts to a doctor promptly, and have mammograms at the right age: At what age should I start mammograms?
Bowel cancer
Smoking, red and processed meat, alcohol and excess weight raise the risk; wholegrains, fibre, dairy foods and physical activity lower it [1]. For stool tests and colonoscopy, see At what age is a screening colonoscopy needed?
Stomach cancer
H. pylori infection is its main cause [1]. If someone in your family has had stomach cancer, talk to your doctor about testing for and treating this infection: Should I be tested for H. pylori?
Lung cancer
Smoking is its most important cause [1, 6]. For the benefits of quitting cigarettes and hookah (water pipe), see How much does quitting smoking lower cancer risk? If you have smoked for many years, see Should I be screened for lung cancer?
Prostate cancer
The US Preventive Services Task Force advises men aged 55 to 69 to talk with their doctor about the benefits and harms of the PSA test and decide together [1]. See Does a high PSA mean prostate cancer?
Use the cancer screening tool to see which tests you need for your age and sex, and for simple steps that help find cancer early, see 5 simple steps to find cancer early and Can cancer be prevented?
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common cancer in women?
Breast cancer, both worldwide and in individual countries such as Iran [2, 3]. In Iran, for example, nearly 3 in 10 cancers in women are breast cancers, followed by bowel, thyroid and stomach cancer [3]. See What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
What is the most common cancer in men?
Worldwide, the most common cancer in men is lung cancer, followed by prostate cancer [2]. The ranking differs between countries: in Iran, for example, prostate cancer comes first, with stomach and bowel cancer about as common, and stomach cancer causes the most cancer deaths in men [3]. See What are the symptoms of stomach cancer?
Is cancer becoming more common?
At what age is cancer most common?
In Iran's national cancer registry, for example, cancer rates were highest at ages 67 to 74 in men and 40 to 50 in women [4]. See What causes cancer?
Which cancers have the best chance of cure?
In the United States, almost all patients with thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and melanoma are alive after 5 years [6]. But for every cancer, being found at an earlier stage improves the chance of successful treatment [6]. See Can cancer be cured?
Is leukaemia common in children?
Cancer in children is rare, but leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer, both worldwide and in Iran [5, 8]. See Leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma: what is the difference?
Detailed statistics (for physicians)
For physicians
World, GLOBOCAN 2024. 20,636,441 new cases (19.5 million excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) and 9,762,507 deaths; cumulative risk of developing cancer to age 74, 19.8% (men 21.4%, women 18.5%), and cumulative risk of death 11.0% in men and 7.6% in women [1, 2]. Incidence: lung 2,637,005 (12.8%), breast 2,434,087 (11.8%), colorectal 2,041,007 (9.9%), prostate 1,546,112 (7.5%), stomach 980,286 and thyroid 959,281. Deaths: lung 1,861,839 (19.1%), colorectal 917,895 (9.4%), liver 732,489 (7.5%), breast 693,660 (7.1%), stomach 641,554 (6.6%) and pancreas 490,786 (5.0%) [2]. Breast cancer accounts for 24.3% of cases in women; incidence ranking in women: breast, lung, colorectal, thyroid, cervix, and in men: lung, prostate, colorectal, stomach, liver [2]. Projection for 2050: 34.4 million new cases (a 67% increase), mainly because of population growth and ageing [1].
Iran, GLOBOCAN 2024. 156,467 new cases and 97,732 deaths; incidence ASR 146.9 (men 156.8, women 138.9) versus 194.9 worldwide; mortality ASR 92.2; cumulative risk of developing cancer to age 74, 15.2% [2, 3]. Men: prostate 10,024 (12.3%), stomach 9,727 (12.0%), colorectal 9,031 (11.1%), bladder 7,585 (9.3%), lung 6,219 (7.6%). Women: breast 21,304 (28.4%), colorectal 7,307 (9.7%), thyroid 5,183 (6.9%), stomach 4,868 (6.5%), leukaemia 2,821 (3.8%). Deaths (both sexes): stomach 12,703 (13.0%), breast 9,400 (9.6%), lung 8,355 (8.5%), colorectal 8,202 (8.4%), prostate 5,888 (6.0%); thyroid ranks 8th for incidence with 6,538 cases but 17th for mortality with 1,046 deaths. Incidence is estimated from the national registry and mortality from modelled mortality-to-incidence ratios [3].
Iranian National Population-based Cancer Registry (INPCR, 2016). 124,833 new cases; overall ASR 177.48 (men 192.96, women 162.33 per 100,000); men: prostate 23.25, stomach 21.56, colon 19.30, bladder 16.20, lung 13.15; women: breast 40.60, colon 14.64, thyroid 10.84, then stomach; age-specific incidence peaked at 67 to 74 years in men and 40 to 50 years in women [4]. Childhood cancer (0 to 19 years, 2014 to 2018): 14,711 cases; ASR 119.56 per million (boys 129.98, girls 107.68); in order: leukaemia, brain and nervous system, lymphoma, bone, connective and soft tissue [5].
Five-year relative survival in the United States (diagnosed 2015 to 2021). Overall 70%, regional 69%, distant 35%; highest for thyroid 98%, prostate 98%, testis 95% and melanoma 95%, and lowest for lung 28%, liver 22%, oesophagus 22% and pancreas 13%; in 2026 lung cancer will cause more deaths than colorectal and pancreatic cancer combined [6].
Reasons for geographical variation. H. pylori accounts for about 90% of non-cardia gastric cancer; lung cancer patterns reflect the stage of the tobacco epidemic; prostate cancer incidence rose with the spread of PSA testing; the rise in thyroid cancer is largely attributed to ultrasonography and sensitive diagnostic methods; in Iran, oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma has been associated with very hot beverages and opium smoking [1]. About 38% of cancers can be prevented by avoiding risk factors and applying existing prevention strategies [7].
Related cancer types
Related questions
References
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