Breast cancer cases to rise by one-third globally, says Lancet study, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• Global breast cancer cases are projected to rise from 2.3 million in 2023 to over 3.5 million by 2050.
• Annual deaths are expected to increase from approximately 764,000 to 1.4 million by 2050, a 44% increase.
• Laos experienced the largest increase in breast cancer deaths since 1990, at 214%.
• In India, the age-standardised incidence rate (ASIR) rose from 13.0 per lakh in 1990 to 29.4 per lakh in 2023.
• The age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) in India also increased from 8.9 per lakh in 1990 to 15.8 per lakh in 2023.

Detailed Insights:

• The Lancet Oncology analysis uses data from cancer registries and vital registration systems to provide a global and regional analysis of breast cancer.
• While high-income countries benefit from screening and treatment, low and middle-income countries face later-stage diagnoses and limited access to quality care.
• In India, the rising ASMR may indicate improvements in detection and treatment, but continued efforts are needed for early-stage diagnosis.
• The cancer registry in India is estimated to cover only about 10% to 15% of the country’s population, which poses a challenge for developing context-appropriate strategies.
• New cases have risen faster in women aged 20 to 54 since 1990, with rates in older women not changing substantially.
• Modifiable risk factors like smoking, high blood sugar, and obesity contribute to 28% of the global breast cancer burden.
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle could prevent over a quarter of healthy years lost to illness and premature death due to breast cancer worldwide.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Age-Standardised Incidence Rate (ASIR): A measure of the occurrence of cancer in a population, adjusted to account for differences in age distribution.
• Age-Standardised Mortality Rate (ASMR): A measure of the death rate from cancer in a population, adjusted to account for differences in age distribution.
• Epidemiological Transition: The shift in disease patterns from infectious diseases to chronic, non-communicable diseases.