Cancer is a leading cause of death globally among women in both high and middle-income countries. Among females, cancer is the second leading cause of mortality worldwide, accounting for 14% of all deaths (Table 2.1).
As per estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there were 6.7 and 3.5 million new cancer cases and deaths respectively among females worldwide in 2012 (Ferlay, Soerjomataram et al.
2015). Among these, 56% of cases and 64% of deaths were found in less developed countries. These numbers are further expected to increase to 9.9 million cases and 5.
5 million deaths among females annually by 2030 as a result of the growth as well as aging of the population (Ferlay, Soerjomataram et al. 2015).