Global lung cancer burden, trends, and projections from 2010 to 2050: A population-level severity framework integrating DALYs-per-case and mortality-to-incidence ratio

A recent comprehensive global study on lung cancer burden, trends, and projections from 2010 to 2050 reveals a concerning outlook, particularly for low- and middle-income countries like Zambia. The research, which integrated Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)-per-case and mortality-to-incidence ratios, highlights that lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Projections indicate that demographic shifts alone are expected to drive substantial increases in the disease burden across many low-resource settings by 2050, a trend that Zambia is unlikely to escape. In 2022, the study estimated 2.48 million new cases and 1.82 million deaths globally from lung cancer. While age-standardized rates showed declines in many high-income countries, they increased in most low- and middle-income nations between 2010 and 2023. For Zambia, despite cervical cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and Kaposi's sarcoma being the most prevalent cancers, lung cancer carries a high case fatality rate of 33.3%. This suggests that while fewer people may be diagnosed with lung cancer compared to other types, those who are diagnosed face a significantly higher risk of death. The global DALYs per case for lung cancer stood at 18.8 in 2022, reflecting the substantial health loss associated with each diagnosis. Zambia faces unique challenges in addressing its cancer burden. Risk factors for lung cancer in the country include high smoking rates, exposure to indoor air pollution from cooking, and emissions from mining activities. The decentralised and often paper-based data collection systems make it difficult to accurately determine the overall lung cancer prevalence and trends. However, efforts are underway to strengthen surveillance and registry systems to gain a clearer understanding of the disease's epidemiology. Furthermore, the country's healthcare infrastructure for cancer treatment is still developing, with advanced treatment options often limited to the cap