Climate Change Linked To Rising Cancer Incidence Among Women, Study Finds

Climate change is fueling a rise in breast and ovarian cancer cases and deaths among women, especially in the MENA region, according to a new study linking rising temperatures to women's health risks.

Representational Image
Climate Change Linked To Rising Cancer Incidence Among Women, Study Finds
info_icon

Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue 바카라” it바카라™s becoming a serious threat to women바카라™s health worldwide. A new study has revealed that climate change is driving a rise in cancer cases particularly ovarian and breast cancers and deaths among women in vulnerable regions particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which are witnessing rising global temperatures.

The study published in Frontiers in Public Health points to a statistically significant rise in both the incidence and mortality of breast, ovarian, uterine, and cervical cancers correlated with increasing temperatures.

While the rise in cases per degree of temperature increase may appear modest, experts warn that the cumulative effect poses a substantial threat to public health over time.

바카라œThese findings underscore a disturbing link between environmental change and women's health,바카라 said Dr. Wafa Abuelkheir Mataria of the American University in Cairo, lead author of the study. 바카라œEven small increases in temperature are associated with higher cancer mortality바카라”particularly for ovarian and breast cancers.바카라

Focusing on 17 climate-vulnerable countries, including Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon, the study examined cancer prevalence and mortality data from 1998 to 2019 alongside regional temperature trends. The results highlight a significant rise in cancer cases and deaths for each additional degree Celsius of temperature increase, with ovarian cancer showing the highest surge.

Co-author Dr. Sungsoo Chun emphasized the heightened vulnerability of women in these regions due to both physiological and social factors. 바카라œClimate-related health risks are magnified for women, especially those facing systemic barriers to healthcare,바카라 he said. 바카라œWithout urgent intervention, this trend could lead to a deepening of existing health inequities.바카라

The study adds to a growing body of evidence that climate change is not only an environmental crisis but also a critical and emerging global health emergency.

Though the authors have not focused on India, oncologists here feel that the rise in the deadly disease here may be because of the same environmental reason.

A similar study should be conducted here to find the link, they said. According to a recent study in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal, the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) 2022 estimates that India ranks third worldwide in terms of cancer incidence, after China and the United States.

×