Egypt Reports Significant Decline in Cancer Rates and Mortality, Citing National Health Initiatives

Egypt has achieved a significant healthcare milestone following the announcement by GLOBOCAN—a platform under the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO)—of an official decline in incidence and mortality rates for several of the most prevalent types of cancer. Liver, bladder, and breast cancers were the top three cancers which saw noticeable declines, reflecting the advancement of Egypt’s healthcare system and state efforts in prevention, early detection, and treatment.

The latest IARC estimates revealed a marked improvement in cancer control indicators in Egypt between 2022 and 2024. This progress was driven by the implementation of national health initiatives—particularly the “100 Million Healthy Lives” campaign—alongside the expansion of screening and early detection programs and the updating of treatment protocols, all of which directly contributed to lowering incidence and mortality rates.

The data showed a 23.5 percent drop in the standardized cancer mortality rate in Egypt, alongside a 17.2 percent decline in the standardized incidence rate, over the course of just two years. The number of new cancer cases fell from 150,600 to 137,400, while the number of deaths dropped from 95,300 to 80,500—despite a 9.8 percent population increase during the same period. Liver cancer showed the most significant improvement among cancer types; associated deaths declined by 22.1 percent and incidence rates fell by 16.7 percent, largely attributed to the success of the “100 Million Healthy Lives” initiative in eliminating Hepatitis C.

Hisham al-Ghazaly, Egypt’s representative to IARC and Director of the Egyptian Center for Medical Research at Ain Shams University, stated that these results reflect the success of a national operational model based on integration among various state institutions. He emphasized that reducing cancer incidence relies primarily on mitigating risk factors—foremost among them smoking, Hepatitis C infection, obesity, and improper use of hormones—and noted that Egypt's success in eliminating Hepatitis C is a global achievement.