- Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer and cancer deaths in women worldwide, with cases predicted to continue rising over the coming years.
- Widespread screening and improved treatments are impacting numbers in many countries, but new cases and deaths from breast cancer are rising in lower income countries.
- The new report highlights six modifiable risk factors that contribute to almost one-third of the breast-cancer burden worldwide.
- Targeting these modifiable lifestyle changes could help reduce breast cancer risk for the next generation.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related disease and death in females worldwide, with a new global study in
This resulted in around 24 million years of healthy life lost due to illness and early mortality around the world.
The report, part of the
However, in other regions both incidence and mortality are increasing. The authors suggest that this further exacerbates health inequalities around the world.
Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, who was not involved in this research, told Medical News Today that:
“This new global study is a stark reminder that breast cancer is a disease that continues to take and rip apart far too many lives, not just here [in the United Kingdom] but around the world. Breast cancer survival rates in the U.K. have increased, likely due to early detection and effective treatment, but this isn’t the case in countries with fewer resources.”
Amy Bremner, MD, breast surgical oncologist and medical director of breast surgical oncology at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, likewise not involved in this research, also highlighted that “this analysis provides the most current and comprehensive assessment of breast cancer burden across 185 countries.“
“Furthermore, there is evidence of progress in high-income settings with declining mortality rates. Finally, the studies identify where interventions are most urgently needed and that poor outcomes are driven by healthcare access, rather than biological differences,” Bremner added.
The report predicts that, despite advances in breast cancer treatment, new breast cancer cases will rise globally from 2.3 million in 2023 to more than 3.5 million in 2050.
And deaths from the disease are expected to increase from 764,000 to 1.4 million over the same time period.
However, the disease does not, and will not, affect all areas equally. Currently, 73% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed in higher-income countries but 39% of all breast cancer deaths are in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
Between 1990 and 2023, the age-standardised mortality rate in high-income countries decreased by 29.9%, whereas in low-income countries, it increased by 99.3%.
“While high-income countries are successfully reducing mortality rates, low- and middle-income countries will bear a disproportionate share of the future burden with inadequate resources to address it. The
Health Organization" rationale="Highly respected international organization">WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative goal is [at least] 2.5% annual mortality reduction. High-income countries like Belgium and Denmark are already achieving that goal, while in low-income countries like [many in] Africa, mortality-to-incidence ratios are already dramatically higher. This reveals that the global breast cancer crisis is fundamentally a crisis of inequity, not just increasing case numbers.”– Amy Bremner, MD
The authors suggest that these differences in breast cancer survival are due to disparities in timely diagnosis and access to quality treatment.
Bremner added: “This widening disparity highlights the urgent need for improved access to screening, early diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment in these economies.”
A key part of the report highlights that 28% of the global breast cancer burden was linked to six potentially modifiable risk factors:
- high consumption of red meat was linked to nearly 11% of healthy life lost
- tobacco use (including second-hand smoke) was linked to 8%
- high blood sugar to 6%
- high
body mass index (BMI) , in the threshold for overweight and obesity, to 4% - high alcohol use to 2%
- low physical activity to 2%.
Between 1990 and 2023, substantial progress was made on the impact of alcohol use and tobacco, with declines of 47% and 28% respectively for these risk factors. However, other factors have not seen similar progress.
Sophie Brooks, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, who was not involved in this research, emphasized that:
“Prevention remains a key way to reduce rates, with a significant number of cases globally linked to preventable factors like smoking, overweight and obesity, and alcohol. Governments have a crucial opportunity to shape environments that can reduce cancer risk across the globe.”
Bremner highlighted that prevention strategies should differ with location.
“In high-income countries, more than one-third of breast cancer cases are preventable through lifestyle changes. For low- and middle-income countries facing the greatest burden increases, public health strategies should promote healthy lifestyles and target high-risk groups through early screening and awareness campaigns,” she told us.
The
However, the modifiable risk factors identified in this report are within a person’s control. The CDC suggests the following to help minimise your risk of developing breast cancer:
- keep your weight within the healthy range (as a guide, BMI should be between 18 and 25), and eat a wide variety of healthy foods
- be physically active — try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every week
- if you drink alcohol, do so in moderation — women should limit their intake to 1 alcoholic drink a day
- if you are taking hormone replacement therapy, or the birth control pill, ask you doctor about the risks and find out if it is right for you
- breastfeed your children if you can, as breastfeeding for at least the first 6 months of baby’s life not only benefits the baby’s health, but can reduce the mother’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure
- if you have a family history of breast cancer, talk to your doctor about how you can reduce your risk.
“Given that studies project cases will increase by 38-54% and deaths by 68-71% by 2050, with disproportionate impact on low- and middle-income countries, primary prevention through lifestyle modification becomes critically important.”
– Amy Bremner, MD
