The global ulcer


Cancer is a “growing global burden”. To comply with this judgment, the world health organization (WHO) in its latest Report on the disease. He is the second most common cause of death worldwide and the most common in Europe. In Germany, die every year more than 200,000 people to malignant tumors, heart disease demand in this country, more and more people.

Also, the number of new cases is increasing worldwide for many years. The General population growth and the increase in life expectancy in wealthy countries, because, with age, the risk of cancer increases. In addition, the diagnostic and screening methods improved, so that today more and more tumors are found that would have been previously overlooked, perhaps.

A cause of the life style that many people have in highly developed industrial Nations such as Germany, however, is undeniable: Smoking, drinking alcohol, too little exercise and an unhealthy diet increase the risk for many types of cancer. This is also seen from the fact that in wealthy countries, more people with cancer than in poorer States – even if the higher life expectancy is taken out as a risk factor.

Good news: cancer risk can be reduce, chances of a cure increase

A good news is: Everyone has the opportunity to reduce his personal risk of cancer by living healthier. In this way, 30 to 50 percent of all cancer could diseases be avoided, we calculated the WHO.

For Germany, a study by the German cancer research center (DKFZ) recently came to a value of almost 40 per cent of preventable cancers. Also vaccination against papilloma virus is a progress, it is the throat for all girls and boys between nine and 14 years of age recommended and reduces the risk for cervical cancer, as well as for oral, and anal cancer.

The times, in whom the cancer was considered incurable, are over fortunately. Although the diagnosis is still a shock, a death sentence need not be. More than two-thirds of all cancer patients, died in 1980 can hope for, according to the DKFZ today, more than half of permanent cure. In addition, the method increases the duration of Survival and quality of life significantly, thanks to improved therapy.

In the Following, the most important key figures are summarized to cancer.

How many people suffer from cancer?

In the year 2018, estimates were made according to worldwide, more than 18 million new cancer diagnoses, such as from the database of the International Agency for research on cancer (IARC). The number of people, the 2018 already lived for five years with a diagnosis of cancer, you will appreciate to almost 44 million.

From a worldwide perspective, experts estimate that every fifth man and every sixth woman to develop in the course of life a cancer. In comparison, the Germans have develop a relatively high risk of cancer: On the whole life it is for men and women at almost 50 percent, estimates the centre for cancer registry data (ZfKD) in its report “cancer in Germany”. The mean age at which the disease occurs for the first Time, is in both sexes about 70 years.

2014 have not been in this country more than 470 000 new cancer diagnoses, the data for 2018, are estimated by ZfDK but to 490,000. By 2030, the researchers even go out of 600,000 new cases.

The increase is mainly due to the age structure of the population. Excluding the demographic aspect, the Rate of new cases easily. The number of Germans lived at the time of the survey, i.e. in 2014, for five years, with a diagnosis of cancer was according to the experts at 1.5 million.

How many people die of cancer?

According to the estimates of the IARC 2018 have died worldwide, approximately 9.6 million people to cancer. More than half of the cancer deaths has not been counted in Asia, which is not surprising, since there’s a lot of people’s lives. You look at the number of cancer deaths per 100,000 population, it is striking that the mortality rate in many European countries is well above 100, and thus significantly higher than, for example, in India, where she is almost 60 (see world map above).

The specified Mortality and incidence age – standardized rates are also. This means that differences were expected in the age structure of the compared populations to be able to better compare.

The latest Figures for Germany are from the death register of 2015, according to which, in the year 225.523 people cancer have died, including about 20,000 more men than women. The actual death rate per 100,000 inhabitants is more than 350. After age standardization, in the case of this value, the global age structure is adjusted, the Rate for women is only just over 120 cases per 100,000 population, in men, about 190.

What types of cancer most people develop?

This question can’t be answered in a General way, because it is dependent on various factors, especially gender and region of origin of a people (see graph below). So 2018 patients on almost all continents, men most commonly from prostate cancer. In Asia, however, the type of cancer shows up not even in the Top 5 of the most common diagnoses. In the countries of Oceania, including Australia and new Zealand, skin cancer is a big Problem, because here the solar radiation is higher than in other regions of the world.

Among German women, breast cancer is by far the most common diagnosis, it accounts for more than 30 percent of all new cases. In men, 23 percent) is most often affected by the prostate (. For both sexes relevant to lung cancer and colorectal cancer.

What types of cancer the majority of people die?

The majority of cancer-related deaths in the year of 2018 due to the state of-estimate for lung cancer, nearly 1.8 million people died worldwide. Almost 20 percent of all cancer deaths. The main causes are Smoking, according to the WHO, Smoking and passive that add to air pollution and exposure to carcinogenic substances such as Radon or asbestos. Lung tumours are particularly aggressive, the Chance to survive the first five years after diagnosis, lies in the world in ten to 15 percent.

In Germany, lung cancer is the most common cause of death in cancer deaths. 2015 died in this country a total of more than 45,000 people, including nearly twice as many men as women. However, a forecast of the German cancer registry show that the incidence rate for women will increase in the future easily, while the sinks of the men gradually.

With the changes in Smoking behaviour explain: Overall, fewer people smoke than a few decades ago, the proportion of women has increased. The Five-year chance of Survival of lung cancer patients is 15 to 20 percent.

German women die most often from breast cancer, in 2015, approximately 18,000 deaths were reported. In this form of cancer, the chances of recovery are much better than in the case of lung cancer five years after diagnosis, about 80 percent of those Affected are still alive.

What is the cancer?

Worldwide cause of cancer an economic loss of at least a trillion, that is a thousand billion dollars in a year, estimates the WHO. For the EU, calculated on a scientist some time ago, the sum of 126 billion euros for the year 2009. Only about 40 percent of the costs were borne, therefore, by the health systems of the EU member States, with the remaining 60 percent emerged, mainly through work failures.

For Germany, the most recent data are from the year 2008, at that time, the cost for all of the tumor amounted to ill health amount to approximately 18 billion euros. In the year 2013, all cancer diseases together for about eleven million working days being responsible for a third of it went solely to breast cancer.


Summarized: The number of cancer cases is rising worldwide, the main reasons are the growing world population and the increasing life expectancy in wealthy countries. In Germany are expected in the coming years, about a half a million new cancer diagnoses annually. The mean age at which the disease occurs for the first time in this country is around 70 years.