Cancer Deaths In Women To Rise By 60% In 2030

Five and a half million women will die from cancer by 2030, according to a report by the American Cancer Society. Comparing this to 2012 data which pegged the number of cancer deaths at 3.5 million, there will be an increase of 60%.

To date, cancer still remains as one of the leading cause of deaths among women worldwide. Initially, only high-income and middle-income countries had high death rates. However, the recent report now states that cancer deaths are increasing in low-income countries as well.

Increased Cancer Risk Factors in Low-Income Countries

According to the report, an aging population and an increase in cancer risk factors contribute to this cancer death rate increase. As low-income and middle-income countries experience economic development, women have better access to means that impact their lifestyle. Exposure to risk factors such as smoking, sedentary or less active lifestyle and obesity become more likely.

Comparing Cancer Deaths By Country

When the study compared the mortality rates among countries, they observed that the countries with the highest rate are low to middle income countries in Oceania, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. In particular, the top five countries were Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Mongolia and Papua New Guinea.

In terms of number of new cases, the report cited that high-income countries had the highest. These included the Denmark, the United States, South Korea, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The report however pointed out that the likelihood of death is quite high in poor countries because of the lack of specialized health care or access to it.

Most Common Cancers In Women

According to the report, the five most common cancers in women are breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, cancer of the liver and cancer of the colorectum. The report indicated that these cancers were a considerable health threat to women worldwide. This in turn will impact a country’s economy. Countries must therefore have an appropriate healthcare system to address this “cancer burden.”

In response to this also, countries must look at ways to increase awareness on these diseases. The report cited that prevention and early detection can spell the difference between survival and death.

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