Lung Cancer in Africa: A Tale of Two Sides.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer mortality globally, responsible for nearly 1.8 million deaths in 2022—approximately one in five of all cancer deaths worldwide. Yet its epidemiology, risk profile, and mortality patterns differ markedly between Africa and the Western world. Whereas Western countries face a high incidence driven primarily by historic tobacco epidemics and aging populations, African nations confront a rising but often underestimated burden, compounded by severe structural and diagnostic limitations. A closer look reveals how these differences shape outcomes on both continents.