World Bulletin / News Desk

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the world faces a "tidal wave" of cancer unless restrictions to alcohol and sugar intake are introduced.

Claiming that alcoholism, smoking and obesity are causing higher rates of cancer, the WHO predicted that the number of cancer cases will increase to 24 million by 2035 from 14 million today.

Dr Chris Wild, the director of the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer, told the BBC: "The global cancer burden is increasing and quite markedly, due predominately to the ageing of the populations and population growth.

"If we look at the cost of treatment of cancers, it is spiralling out of control, even for the high-income countries. Prevention is absolutely critical and it's been somewhat neglected."

Pollution, radiation and inactivity are also factors causing cancer, WHO said. For women, delayed parenthood, having fewer children and not breastfeeding is also a cause for higher cancer rates

A recent survey of 2,046 people in the UK by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) suggested 49% do not know that diet have an increased risk of developing cancer.