“Every minute, four women are diagnosed with breast cancer worldwide and one woman dies from the disease, and these statistics are worsening,” said the IARC scientist Dr Joanne Kim, one of the authors of the report. The projected increase in cases worldwide is due to a mix of factors, including a growing and ageing global population, improvements in detection and diagnosis, and a higher prevalence of known risk factors for the disease.
Globally, most breast cancer cases and deaths occur in women aged 50 and above, who account for 71% of new cases and 79% of deaths, the IARC said. About a quarter of breast cancer cases can be prevented, the study’s authors said, for example by reducing alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy weight and becoming more active. The WHO state that certain factors increase the risk of breast cancer including increasing age, obesity, harmful use of alcohol, family history of breast cancer, history of radiation exposure, reproductive history (such as age that menstrual periods began and age at first pregnancy), tobacco use and postmenopausal hormone therapy. Approximately half of breast cancers develop in women who have no identifiable breast cancer risk factor other than gender (female) and age (over 40 years).
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women worldwide, but its burden is not evenly distributed. Global estimates reveal striking inequities in the breast cancer burden according to human development. For instance, in countries with a very high Human Development Index (HDI), 1 in 12 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 71 women die of it. In contrast, in countries with a low HDI; while only 1 in 27 women is diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, 1 in 48 women will die from it. The IARC said diagnosis rates were highest in Australia and New Zealand, followed by North America and Northern Europe, and lowest in Asia and Africa. However, death rates were highest in Melanesia and Polynesia, and in West Africa. Dr Isabelle Soerjomataram, the deputy head of the IARC’s cancer surveillance branch, said: “Continued progress in early diagnosis and improved access to treatment are essential to address the global gap in breast cancer and ensure that the goal of reducing suffering and death from breast cancer is achieved by all countries worldwide.”
Signs and symptoms of Breast Cancer
Most people will not experience any symptoms when the cancer is still early hence the importance of early detection.
Breast cancer can have combinations of symptoms, especially when it is more advanced.
Symptoms of breast cancer can include:
- a breast lump or thickening, often without pain
- change in size, shape or appearance of the breast
- dimpling, redness, pitting or other changes in the skin
- change in nipple appearance or the skin surrounding the nipple (areola)
- abnormal or bloody fluid from the nipple.
- People with an abnormal breast lump should seek medical care, even if the lump does not hurt.
