Cancer is one of the top causes of death among women worldwide, and its incidence is only expected to increase as the population ages and grows, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society and Merck KGaA.
Data from the World Health Organization shows 3.5 million women died from cancer and 6.7 million new cases were diagnosed in 2012. This is expected to increase to 5.5 million deaths and 9.9 million new cases by 2030, according to the report. The leading types are breast, lung and colorectal cancer in high income countries and breast, cervix and lung cancer in low and middle income countries, according to the report.
Part of the increase in cancer cases can be explained by the growing and aging population. When more people live longer, chances of getting cancer go up. For low to middle income countries, the incidence of cancer is expected to grow more rapidly than in high income countries because this is where life expectancies are increasing the most, according the report. Plus, as low and middle income countries become more economically developed, behaviors that can lead to cancer — such as smoking, weight gain or low physical activity — tend to increase, according to the report. Incidence rates in more economically developed countries are still higher, though this may be because awareness, prevalence of screening and detection are more common in those countries as well.
However, the authors write that in addition to awareness, screening and detection, the importance of primary prevention cannot be over emphasized. About one-third to one-half of cancer cases can be avoided based on what we know now about risks. For example, lung and cervical cancer combined account for 20 percent of cancer deaths in women — and many cases could be prevented by improved vaccination rates, screenings and smoking cessation.
"To prevent cancer in the future, countries must prioritize policies to reduce known cancer risk factors and make prevention accessible to all," the authors wrote.
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