New cancer cases are projected to rise by 80% globally by 2050, G7 leaders and partner countries warned on Tuesday as they pledged stronger international cooperation in cancer research, prevention and treatment.
The commitment came in a joint “Leaders’ Call on the Fight Against Cancer” issued during the G7 Summit in Evian, France, and backed by partner countries Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya and South Korea.
The leaders said cancer kills nearly 10 million people worldwide each year and warned that ageing populations, coupled with environmental and behavioural risk factors, are expected to drive a sharp increase in new cases, placing an ever-greater burden on societies, health systems and economies.
“We reaffirm our commitment to accelerate the fight against cancer,” the leaders said, adding that improvements in cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and care remain both necessary and achievable.
The leaders noted that scientific advances in recent years have improved outcomes in several areas of oncology and have brought the elimination of cervical cancer within reach. They pledged to accelerate efforts towards that goal while deepening international scientific cooperation and ensuring that innovations reach patients more quickly.
The statement highlighted progress already made through international, regional and national initiatives, including efforts to align cancer research programmes, strengthen cooperation among leading cancer institutes and improve interoperable data standards for paediatric and adolescent cancers.
Recognising that no single country has sufficient data to generate robust evidence across the full range of paediatric, adolescent and young adult cancers, the leaders committed to promoting collaboration between existing cancer registries and research programmes. They also pledged to support large-scale integration of clinical, genomic and imaging data, including the responsible use of artificial intelligence to facilitate secure international research cooperation.
The G7 and partner countries also identified cancers with poor prognosis as one of the foremost global scientific challenges and pledged support for research aimed at developing a shared international definition and research agenda for such diseases.
They committed to pursuing ambitious targets for cancer screening and earlier diagnosis, particularly for cancers with low survival rates, and called for efforts to significantly reduce lung cancer mortality over the next decade.
The leaders further pledged to strengthen international clinical trial cooperation and accelerate the translation of scientific advances, including developments in digital technologies, artificial intelligence and quantum research, into clinical practice.
On healthcare access, the declaration emphasised support for country-led efforts to build resilient health systems capable of delivering high-quality cancer care for all. It also encouraged the development of comprehensive cancer centres to serve as hubs for treatment, research and education.
The leaders said they would remain engaged and review progress on the commitments, describing the declaration as the outcome of discussions among G7 members and partner countries aimed at accelerating global action against cancer.
