Objective The objective of this study is to present a cross-sectional analysis of cancer burden in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region and explain unique characteristics of its cancer burden as compared with the rest of the world.Methods and analysis Using publicly available data from the Global Cancer Observatory (GCO) and the World Bank, we collected cancer statistics and population statistics for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka from 2017 to 2022.Results The number of newly diagnosed cases in the region was 1 846 963, representing 9.3% of the incidence worldwide. As defined by the GCO, the crude incidence rate (CIR) (per 100 000) of cancer in SAARC was 97.3 compared with the worldwide rate of 235.5. The crude mortality rate (per 100 000) in SAARC was 63.4, compared with 123.6 globally. However, the mortality to incidence ratio (MIR) (per 100 000) was 0.65, compared with 0.49 globally.Conclusion Our research highlights SAARC’s unique cancer landscape with low incidence (CIR) and mortality (CMR) but elevated MIR compared with global figures. These findings underscore the need for a united, contextually relevant approach to addressing the burden of cancer in SAARC. In particular, investment in collaborative, tailored cancer care programmes will build the SAARC region’s capacity to address the growing cancer challenge.
