Quantifying the macroeconomic burden of cancer: Global disparities in value-of-lost-welfare (VLW).

Abstract

10580 Background: Cancer (CA) remains a leading global driver of disability and premature death, yet its full macroeconomic toll is rarely quantified. In this study, we estimated the global economic welfare loss attributable to all cancers in 2023 across 183 countries using a standardized Value of Lost Welfare (VLW) framework. Methods: We obtained country-level disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for CA from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. Corresponding GDP (PPP, current international dollars) and population data were sourced from the World Bank. We calculated VLW by multiplying DALYs by a fixed monetary value of USD 14,403.29 per DALY, yielding estimates of total VLW, per-capita VLW, and VLW/GDP (%). CA-specific estimates were derived using cause-wise DALY distributions across global and regional levels. Results: In 2023, CA caused 268.9 million DALYs globally, resulting in a global VLW of USD 3.87 trillion—equivalent to 2.12% of global GDP, with an average per-capita economic loss of 522 billion. The largest absolute economic losses were reported in China (915.5 billion), India (458.7 billion), and the United States, followed by Japan (126.7 billion) and Brazil (108.6 billion). When adjusted for national GDP, the highest VLW-to-GDP ratios were observed in Zimbabwe (4.24%), Cambodia (4.00%), Mongolia (3.45%), India (3.09%), and Egypt (1.63%), reflecting intense economic vulnerability. Across SDI strata, high-SDI countries bore the greatest economic burden, incurring a VLW of 1.80 trillion, followed by high-middle SDI (808.7 billion), low SDI (568.0 billion), low-middle SDI (406.5 billion), and middle SDI (384.9 billion). While absolute losses were highest in high-SDI settings, VLW/GDP ratios were notably elevated in low- and low-middle SDI regions, signaling disproportionate economic strain in resource-limited contexts. By CA type, lung CA led the global burden with 672 billion in welfare losses, followed by colorectal CA (377 billion), breast CA (355 billion), stomach CA (324 billion), and esophageal CA (202 billion). Conclusions: The global macroeconomic cost of CA surpassed USD 3.6 trillion in 2023, with marked disparities across countries and regions. High-burden nations such as China, India, and the U.S. faced the steepest absolute losses, while several low-income countries suffered disproportionately high economic strain relative to GDP. The concentration of losses in five major CA types signals an urgent need for enhanced global investments in CA prevention, early detection, and control. Regional cancer burden and economic losses in 2023. Region DALYs (Millions) VLW ($ Billion) VLW/GDP (%) Sub-Saharan Africa 28.82 415.14 6.64 South Asia 43.72 629.68 3.48 Southeast Asia, East Asia & Oceania 89.19 1284.6 2.76 North Africa & Middle East 14.34 206.6 2.50 Latin America & Caribbean 18.39 264.91 2.36 Central/Eastern Europe & Central Asia 20.89 300.85 2.20 High Income 60.37 869.53 1.25