In a recent study published in Cancer, an Interdisciplinary Journal of the American Cancer Society, it was highlighted that substantial disparities are observed among male cancer cases and deaths, with these disparities expected to widen by 2050. By 2050, the number of new cancer deaths for men globally is predicted to reach 10.5 million, a staggering 93 percent increase from 2022 levels. Similarly, the number of new cancer cases among men worldwide is projected to rise by an astonishing 84 percent.
The rise in male cancer mortality is particularly pronounced among those aged 65 or older, with an over 117 percent increase expected. Almost two-thirds of males who developed cancer or died from the disease were in this age group. The study’s estimates for 2050 were based on 2022 observations, with researchers projecting data every five years.
Lifestyle choices like smoking and alcohol consumption are identified as major factors contributing to the widening gap between the sexes regarding cancer prevalence. Researchers also noted that men tend to be exposed to more carcinogens in their workplaces, participate less frequently in cancer prevention screenings, and are less involved in early treatment options, all of which contribute to a higher cancer incidence rate for men compared to women.
In 2020, the cancer death rate for men was 43 percent higher than that of women, with 120.8 deaths per 100,000 men, compared to 84.2 per 100,000 women. Lung cancer remains the most common cancer and is responsible for the highest number of deaths among both sexes, although the leading cancer varies slightly across different age groups.
The study emphasizes that cancers affecting women receive more public attention compared to male-specific cancers like prostate or testicular cancer. Early detection and intervention programs have been beneficial for female-specific cancers such as breast and cervical cancer, but there are no comparable initiatives in place for male-specific cancers.
Additionally, males tend to participate less often in screening programs for diseases that affect both sexes, such as colorectal cancer. While smoking is a leading cause of death globally, there is a significant difference in the prevalence of male smokers compared to female smokers. According to a study by University of Washington researchers, 32.6 percent of men worldwide smoked in 2020, while only 6.5 percent of women did so.
Smoking is a major risk factor for cancer and has been linked to lung, mouth, prostate, and blood cancers, among others. Alcohol consumption, which is more prevalent in men, has also been associated with liver, colorectal, prostate, and stomach cancers. The study underscores the urgent need for greater public awareness, research funding, and screening initiatives specifically targeted towards male-specific cancers to help narrow the gap between the sexes when it comes to cancer incidence and mortality rates.
