Cancer Care Shouldn’t Depend on Geography: Inside IAEA’s Rays of Hope

Cancer claims more than 10 million lives each year, a toll projected to almost double by 2050, according to the IAEA.

For millions of people with cancer, getting treatment depends on whether their country has the equipment, specialists and services they need. These inequalities are at the centre of the IAEA Scientific Forum, opening in Vienna on 15 September 2026, where the Agency's Rays of Hope initiative takes the spotlight. Held during the IAEA General Conference, the forum explores how better care delivery, financing, research and partnerships can bring cancer services to communities that face the greatest shortages.

Cancer claims more than 10 million lives each year, a toll projected to almost double by 2050, according to the IAEA. Low- and middle-income countries account for more than half of all cancer cases and nearly two-thirds of deaths, reflecting big differences in access to timely diagnosis and treatment. Radiotherapy is needed by about half of cancer patients, but access in low-income countries can be as limited as one in ten people with cancer, and some countries have no radiotherapy services at all.

Bringing Treatment Closer to People Who Need It

A single radiotherapy machine serves an average of around 140,000 people in high-income countries, compared with more than 15 million in low-income countries, according to IAEA data. Shortages of medical imaging and nuclear medicine equipment create further barriers, leaving people undiagnosed, incorrectly diagnosed or facing a diagnosis only after their cancer has reached an advanced stage. Expanding access requires facilities that can support both the detection of disease and the delivery of treatment.

Launched in Africa in 2022, Rays of Hope has supported the establishment or expansion of national radiotherapy centres in Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Senegal, Togo and Zambia. The initiative is strengthening radiotherapy care in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico and Paraguay, and expanding nuclear medicine services in Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Senegal and Togo. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the initiative seeks to reduce disparities through practical, cost-effective support, giving patients and doctors the tools they need regardless of location.

Training the Specialists Behind Every Cancer Service

Equipment shortages are only part of the problem, because cancer services depend on trained professionals who can diagnose disease, plan treatment and deliver it safely. More than 90% of trained cancer professionals are concentrated in higher-income countries, leaving substantial workforce gaps elsewhere. Meeting projected global demand for radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation therapy technologists by 2050 would require the workforce to grow by more than 60% from its 2022 level.

Rays of Hope Anchor Centres, which serve as regional leaders in cancer care, help strengthen specialist skills and share expertise across neighbouring countries. Through its technical cooperation programme, the IAEA provides in-person and online training in medical physics, radiation oncology, nuclear medicine, imaging and radiopharmacy. This support helps countries develop the professional capacity needed to operate services, maintain care quality and expand access as demand grows.

Making Cancer Research Reflect Local Needs

Most cancer research takes place in high-income countries, leaving some cancers common in lower-income settings understudied and urgent local needs insufficiently addressed. Limited funding and training in research methods make it harder for scientists in these settings to conduct studies, including clinical trials relevant to their communities. Building local research capacity gives health professionals a stronger foundation for investigating the challenges their patients face.

The IAEA supports Anchor Centres through targeted oncology and medical physics training, with clinical research programmes supported by MD Anderson Cancer Center helping strengthen local expertise. Rays of Hope builds on more than 60 years of IAEA work in cancer care, including research supporting advances in imaging, radiotherapy and radiopharmaceuticals. Cooperation with governments, universities, businesses and international financial institutions connects equipment, training, research and financing to strengthen national cancer control systems, with the Vienna forum examining how those partnerships can reach more people.