Cancer to cost the world £185.8 billion this year

Published on Monday 24 August 2009 22:01

CANCER will cost the world £185.8 billion this year, new figures have revealed.

Research by cycling star Lance Armstrong's Livestrong foundation warned of the crippling economic cost of treating patients in hospital, buying expensive drugs and loss of earnings and carers' fees.

According to the study, the Global Burden of Cancer, 297,747 new cases of the disease in the UK this year will cost the country more than 6.7bn.

The survey highlights a 132.2gn spending gap for treatment in 2009, with high-income countries making up 94 per cent of expenditure on the illness.

Launching the report in Dublin at an international cancer summit organised by Livestrong, Armstrong said tackling the disease needed to become a worldwide priority.

"There is obviously an economic impact and I think we have to shift the way that we view this fight," he said.

"We have to change the approach. It's no longer about spending money, it's investing in the health of our communities and our countries."

The report estimates there will be 12.9 million new cancer cases worldwide this year – a figure expected to soar to 27 million by 2030.

More than 500 politicians, health officials and business leaders have gathered in Dublin for the Livestrong summit.