On the occasion of International Women’s Day the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) warns about the increase in the number of cases of tumors that affect women.
It is estimated that this year some 120,035 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in Spain in women alone.
And although these forecasts are similar to those of 2021, experts point out that there is evidence of a slight progressive increase in new cancer cases. The reason lies both in non-modifiable factors, such as population growth and aging, and in modifiable risk factors.
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!
You will be able to listen to our podcast, receive a weekly newsletter with the news, write comments, send questions…
—
Because it is estimated that up to a third of cancer deaths could be preventable if the following risk factors were controlled:
– Tobacco, responsible for 33% of cancer deaths.
– Alcohol.
– Sedentary lifestyle.
– Inadequate diets, with little fruit and vegetable content.
– Infections, especially in developing countries.
It may interest you: Human papilloma virus. Is it just a problem for women?
Smoking in women
Smoking is the main factor associated with the risk of developing lung cancer, but also other tumors such as bladder cancer, head and neck tumors, esophageal cancer or pancreatic cancer, among others.
The increase in smoking among women since the 1970s is responsible for the progressive increase in the incidence of lung cancer in women.
So much so that since 2019, it is the third tumor with the highest incidence in women, after breast and colorectal. And what is worse, for the third year in a row, it is the second leading cause of cancer death in women behind breast cancer.
“It is essential to educate the population to quit smoking and reduce the number of people, often teenagers, who start smoking,” says Dr. Enriqueta Felip, president of SEOM.
Alcohol
As in previous years, SEOM wanted to emphasize the role that alcohol plays as a risk factor for the development of cancer. It is estimated that up to 180,000 cancer cases and some 92,000 cancer deaths in Europe are attributable to alcohol.
And it is that as oncology specialists remember, there is no safe consumption of alcohol. The reason? Well, it is estimated that up to 4,600 cases of breast cancer per year in Europe are due to alcohol consumption of 1 glass of wine a day, and these figures increase significantly with higher alcohol consumption.
In addition, it is estimated that, in the year 2020, in Spain, alcohol was responsible for the diagnosis of some 4,500 cases of colon cancer, some 2,100 cases of breast cancer, and around 1,500 cases of hepatocarcinoma and cavity tumors. speech, among others.
Obesity and sedentary lifestyle
Other completely avoidable risk factors for cancer are obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
In fact, it is estimated that, if the average population Body Mass Index had not increased in the last 30 years, 28,000 cases of breast cancer and 25,000 of endometrial cancer could have been avoided in 2012 worldwide.
An adequate Mediterranean diet and physical exercise have been shown to reduce the incidence of certain types of tumors, reduce the risk of relapses and improve their prognosis, as well as better tolerance of treatments.
Prevention of the most common cancers in women
Oncology specialists emphasize prevention through screening programs for some of the main cancers that affect women.
We are talking about colon, breast and cervical cancer, in which an early diagnosis and even the detection of premalignant lesions can be essential.
In addition, the inclusion of the human papillomavirus vaccine in the vaccination schedule will undoubtedly have a positive impact on reducing the incidence of cervical cancer and other related tumours.
On the other hand, following the recommendations of the European Code Against Cancer, SEOM recommends breastfeeding, whenever possible, for at least six months, limiting the use of hormone replacement therapy and if in doubt, consult your doctor.
Survival of the most common cancers in women
The figures for incidence, mortality and prevalence of cancer in the last five years are different between men and women.
Worldwide, in both sexes, the cancer with the highest incidence and mortality is lung cancer, and the one with the highest five-year prevalence is breast cancer.
In general, the survival of women is higher than that of men because the most frequent tumors in women present better survival.
In Spain, it is estimated that approximately one in three women will suffer from cancer throughout her life.
Fortunately, despite the increase in the number of diagnosed patients, mortality decreases in most tumors due to numerous advances in treatment and prevention measures and early diagnosis.
–
