GLOBOCAN 2024: Bladder cancer is now the 8th most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide

Behind every cancer statistic is a person: someone who noticed a change, sought help and heard the words “bladder cancer”, and the family and carers beside them. On July 8, 2026, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)published GLOBOCAN 2024, its latest estimates of cancer cases and deaths for 34 types of cancer in 186 countries. The new figures confirm that bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, and far from rare.

Across all cancers, IARC and the American Cancer Society estimate that 20.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2024 and 9.8 million people died from the disease. Around 1 in 5 people will develop cancer during their lifetime, and new cases are projected to reach 34.4 million a year by 2050.

Latest bladder cancer statistics

Bladder cancer is now the 8th most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, up from 9th in the GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates. An estimated 635,264 people were diagnosed in 2024, compared with 614,298 in the previous edition. That is more than 1,700 people every day.

Nearly 2 million people (1,978,407) are living within five years of a bladder cancer diagnosis. Each of them is managing follow-up care and life after treatment, often including changes to continence and body image, supported by carers who share that journey.

Bladder cancer caused an estimated 227,626 deaths in 2024, making it the 13th most common cause of cancer death worldwide.

Not only a disease of men

Bladder cancer remains the 6th most common cancer in men, with 492,178 new diagnoses in 2024. But it does not affect men alone. 143,086 women were diagnosed in 2024, more than 1 in 5 of all new cases. Women can face delays in diagnosis when blood in the urine is mistaken for a urinary tract infection, which is why women remain at the centre of our awareness work.

A global picture, with unequal outcomes

Asia accounts for the largest share of new cases (40.2%), followed by Europe (32.8%) and Northern America (15.6%). Europe is home to just 9.2% of the world’s population, yet it records almost a third of all bladder cancer diagnoses.

The data also show where outcomes fall behind. Africa accounts for 5.3% of new bladder cancer cases but 8.2% of deaths, and Asia for 40.2% of cases but 46.2% of deaths. In Northern America the pattern is reversed, with 15.6% of cases and 9.3% of deaths. Unequal access to early diagnosis and treatment is part of this picture, and closing the care gap remains at the heart of our advocacy.

Early diagnosis changes outcomes

These figures carry a clear message: finding bladder cancer early matters. When it is diagnosed early, survival can be up to 90%. Blood in your urine is the number one warning sign, even if it happens only once. Smoking is the biggest risk factor.

Learn more about bladder cancer. Our Bladder Cancer Factsheets explain the symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis and treatment in plain language. To explore the latest global figures, visit GLOBOCAN 2024 on IARC’s Global Cancer Observatory, including its bladder cancer factsheet.