American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG launch first global economic cost of cancer report

For the first time, research shows that cancer has the most devastating economic impact of any cause of death in the world - costing the global economy nearly a trillion dollars a year. The American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG have joined together to release a first-of-its-kind study on the economic cost of all causes of death globally, including cancer and other non-communicable and communicable diseases.

According to the World Health Organization projections, this year, cancer will become the world's leading cause of death, followed by heart disease and stroke. This critical and timely new joint report, authored by American Cancer Society researchers Rijo John, director of international tobacco control research, and Hana Ross, strategic director of international tobacco control research, shows that cancer has the greatest economic impact from premature death and disability of all causes of death worldwide.

The data from this study provides compelling new evidence that balancing the world's global health agenda to address cancer will not only save millions of lives, but also billions of dollars. In 2008, cancer accounted for nearly a trillion dollars in economic losses from premature death and disability. The economic toll from cancer is nearly 20% higher than heart disease, the second leading cause of economic loss ($895 billion and $753 billion respectively). This analysis does not include direct medical costs, which would further increase, and possibly double, the total economic cost caused by cancer. The lost years of life and productivity caused by cancer represent the single largest drain on national economies, compared to other causes of death, including HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.