The world's biggest killer is cancer and cases of the disease are expected to increase significantly over the coming years, a new global report has shown.

According to the World Cancer Report 2014, which was written by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an estimated 8.2 million people lost their lives to the disease in 2012.

Over four million people per year die prematurely of the disease every year - i.e. they are aged between 30 and 69 - and cancer cases around the world are expected to jump by 75% over the next two decades.

"The rise of cancer worldwide is a major obstacle to human development and wellbeing. These new figures and projections send a strong signal that immediate action is needed to confront this human disaster, which touches every community worldwide, without exception," commented Dr Christopher Wild, director of IARC.

The report shows that when it comes to cancer control and care, inequality still exists. For example, poor people are more likely to die from cancer and the number of deaths among poor people is growing at a faster rate than previously predicted.

According to Cary Adams, CEO of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), governments ‘must recognise the growing cancer burden in their country'.

"The new figures from IARC show that the incidence of cancer globally will continue to grow unless we recognise the threat and act on it now. We demand that governments around the world move to stop the millions of predicted, needless and premature deaths caused by cancer by developing and implementing a national plan which includes proven preventive and early detection measures," he commented.

The report was launched to coincide with World Cancer Day (February 4).