Cancer Rates Around The World [Infographic]

Global patterns reveal the myth of a "disease of affluence"

By Emily Elert Posted 12.17.2012 at 5:20 pm 5 Comments

Cancer is often considered a "disease of affluence"--a malady that mostly afflicts people in the world's wealthiest countries, often as a consequence of over-consumption--but, as today's infographic shows, the reality is not so straightforward: In the U.S., for instance, the rate of lung cancer is 26 times higher than it is in Tanzania, but Tanzania's rate of cervical cancer is nine times higher than that of the U.S. And in Mongolia, liver cancer is 33 times more common than in Russia, the country's northern neighbor.

This interactive graphic show the global footprints of the six most common types of cancer. The stark geographic patterns reveal both the role of lifestyle and the power of preventive measures, as well as the places where those measures remain out of reach:

[via Visual.ly]

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5 Comments

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dkella

12/17/12 at 7:38 pm

Certain cancers are associated with certain exposures of chemicals and in other cases viral stresses. Tanzania's HPV rate might be quite high? In the US I would suggest widespread nuclear testing in desert areas and dust blowing around. Liver cancer usually means higher rates of hepatitis. (which mongolia has a high rate of)

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supercrit

12/17/12 at 8:50 pm

Higher cancer rate in developed countries are probably due to high life expectancy, notice Africa has such low cancer rate, since most of them have low life expectancy, people die before getting cancer.
Also I wish spammer's whole family die a slow painful death due to cancer.

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Rapier153

12/18/12 at 4:09 am

I have to agree with supercrit with everything he stated, including about the spammer.

I would point out that in undeveloped countries it is likely there is less tracking of diseases as well since healthcare is much more basic.

e.g. Developed countries find and treat the cause: more statistics.
The rest are likely to treat only the immediate ailment. More advanced medicine takes money.

This is just my uneducated and inexperienced first-world opinion.

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Robot

12/18/12 at 7:55 am

I would think the higher quantity of cancer counts comes from 2 reasons and or perspectives.

With better science and technology, we dump more cancer causing chemicals in our environment.

With better science and technology, we detect more cancers.

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nighthawkich

12/19/12 at 1:48 pm

This infographic needs to have some context added. You notice that all the areas that are noted as having high cancer rates are the areas best equipped to diagnose and treat the various cancers. While the areas that have virtually no diagnostic and treatment facilities have very little.

This infographic is obviously going based on reported diagnoses and not estimated actual occurences. Of course places with no facilities will have low rates, the magority get sick and die never having seen a doctor. While in the countries with decent medical facilities, virtually every instance is recorded because the person gets sick and goes to their local doctor/hospital. They then diagnose and treat.

Notice you always see a surge in recorded cancer rates in third world countries when some group goes there to perform studies. Its not that the rate has actually changed, its that it is now being accurately recorded and reported.