Background: Cancer imposes profound economic and financial burden globally, affecting not only on patients and their families but also health systems, national societies and governments. While policy and research efforts have rightly focused on the direct medical costs of cancer diagnosis and treatment, there is increasing recognition that indirect costs, such as productivity losses and informal caregiving, constitute a significant and often underappreciated share of the total cost burden.

Objectives: To provide an overview of the direct and indirect costs of cancer and highlight their relevance in the 21st century.

Methods: A descriptive overview of the economic costs of cancer will be provided. Drawing on selected published studies, global estimates, and real-world examples, key components and drivers of the direct and indirect costs of cancer worldwide will be discussed using selected indicators and case examples.

Results: Cancer-related costs can be broadly classified into direct costs, including medical and associated non-medical expenditures, and indirect costs, including productivity losses and informal care. These costs can vary considerably across regions and population groups, depending on context-specific cancer burden, health financing systems and social protection structures.

Conclusions/Implications: The economic and financial burden of cancer is projected to rise with an increasing global cancer burden, the growing use of innovative but costly cancer treatments, and mounting pressures on healthcare budgets from competing priorities. These challenges are particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries where the cancer burden is expected to grow the most rapidly. Understanding and addressing the full spectrum of cancer-related costs is therefore paramount to inform investments cases, prioritize cancer control policies and programs, and design policies to mitigate the financial and societal impact of cancer worldwide.