Nearly 10 million people will die of cancer in 2018, according to new data from the World Health Organization.(Photo: Getty Images / iStockphoto)

According to estimates by the World Health Organization, nearly 10 million people will die from cancer this year and 18.1 million new cases of cancer will develop.

According to data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the WHO, one in five men and one in six women will develop cancer during their lifetime.

The agency cites aging of the population as one of the factors driving the rise in cancer cases and deaths. The report also reports rapidly growing economies where the causes of cancer development were more related to lifestyle than to poverty.

Lung cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer are the three main types of cancer responsible for one-third of all new cancer cases and deaths worldwide.

"These new figures underscore that much remains to be done to cope with the alarming increase in the global burden of cancer and that prevention has a key role to play," said Christopher Wild, Director of IARC, in a statement. "Effective prevention and early warning policies need to be implemented urgently to complement treatments to combat this devastating disease worldwide."

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The data also cite a "worrisome" increase in lung cancer among women. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death among women in 28 countries.

Freddie Bray, IARC Chief, Cancer Surveillance Section, said that although WHO's actions have reduced active smoking as exposure to tobacco smoke, there is still much to do. "Given that the tobacco epidemic is at different stages in different regions and among men and women, the results highlight the need to continue to put in place effective and targeted tobacco control policies in all countries. ", did he declare.

Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration official told the youth they were using an "epidemic", pushing electronic cigarette manufacturers to keep them out of the reach of children and adolescents.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @ brettmolina23.

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