By Alan Lyndon
Cancer deaths among men, particularly those over age 65, are expected to significantly increase by 2050. According to a study published Monday in the journal Cancer, “cases are projected to increase from 10.3 million to 19 million, an 84% increase. Deaths are projected to increase from 5.4 million to 10.5 million, a 93% increase, with a greater than two-fold increase among men aged 65+ years.”
Researchers found that 2020 cancer mortality rates among men were 43 percent higher than women. “These disparities could arise from men’s lower participation in cancer prevention activities; underuse of available prevention, screening, and treatment options; increased exposure to cancer risk factors; and biologic differences,” according to the authors led by Habtamu Mellie Bizuayehu, PhD, of the University of Queensland, in Australia. “Early detection and interventions for female-specific cancers, such as breast and cervical cancer, have been beneficial; however, there are no comparable programs for male-specific cancers, such as prostate or testicular cancer.”
In 2022, there were an estimated 10.3 million cancer cases and 5.4 million cancer deaths among men with lung cancer leading the way followed by liver and colorectal cancers. Lung cancer deaths among men are predicted to increase by more than 44 percent. The greatest predicted increase is for prostate cancer at over 52 percent.
“Enhancing health infrastructure, access, and quality through a coordinated, multisectoral approach and national and international collaboration is essential to improve current cancer outcomes in men and to prepare for the anticipated rise in cancer burden by 2050,” said the authors. “Moving forward, expanding publicly funded medical schools and scholarships for training medical staff, providing continuous learning and specialization options, ensuring equitable geographic distribution of medical staff, and retaining medical staff, specifically in low-HDI and medium-HDI countries, are important.”
The study also recommends implementing universal health coverage as a way to improve cancer outcomes or reduce the otherwise likely increases in mortality. “Improving access to cancer prevention and care options and further targeted research to discover intervention options, including affordable and acceptable prevention, screening, diagnosis, and treatment options, could improve cancer outcomes among older men and for rare cancer types,” according to the study.
