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Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Thursday, 28 April 2005 10:25

BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk

Cancer rates double

According to a new report by Cancer Research UK they claim the rates of breast and lung cancer have doubled worldwide since 1975 they suggest that the increase is largely a reflection of population growth and longer life spans.

The researchers who analysed a global database of 27 cancers found that more than 1.1 million cases of breast cancer are now diagnosed across the world each year. This compared with about 500,000 cases in 1975.

They said most of the increase could be explained by the increased life expectancy of women worldwide, together with the world’s burgeoning population. Since 1975, the world’s population has grown from around 4 billion to about 6.3 billion.

Ruth Yates, statistics manager at Cancer Research UK, said the global patterns could yield clues on causes and cures. "Knowing which parts of the world have fewer cases of particular cancers can help us identify cultural factors, such as diet, smoking and drinking that affect the risk." Ageing explained most but not all of the increased risk, she said.

Breast cancer rates are also rising in most countries. The report says: "Breast cancer rates in developed countries could be half of current rates if women had larger family sizes and breastfed for longer, although such measures are generally agreed to be not practicable”.

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