Cancer’s New Battleground

Cancer is often considered a disease of affluence, but about 70% of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Explore this interactive map to learn about some cancers that disproportionately affect poorer countries.

When Victoria Contreras was diagnosed with breast cancer, she felt frightened and isolated. She rediscovered hope and community at the Breast Club, a local support group in Lima, Peru.

Dr. Jackson Orem heads the Uganda Cancer Institute. Until recently, he was the only oncologist in a country of more than 30 million people. He argues that cancer deserves the same attention given to other afflictions in the developing world, such as AIDS and malaria.

Haitian women know little about breast cancer and those who contract it rarely receive treatment. An American charity and its local partners are trying to change that. But it’s not easy providing cancer care in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country.

Cervical cancer is far more common in the developing world than in the US. One reason: women in the US receive routine screening that catches it in its earliest stages. A low-cost test being rolled out in India could save tens of thousands of lives.