A "tsunami" of cancer is coming - warns the World He alth Organization. According to a report prepared by WHO, the number of cancer cases in 2025 will increase from 14 to 19 million annually, in 2030 - up to 22 million, and in 2035 - up to 24 million. What is the reason for such a sharp increase in the number of cancer cases? Who is at risk?
Already in 2013, the World He alth Organization (WHO) alerted that the number of cancer cases was growing rapidly from year to year and that despite the advances in medicine, the related mortality was also increasing. In 2013, more than 14 million people fell ill with cancer and 8.2 million died, with lung cancer being the most frequently diagnosed malignant neoplasm in the world. In 2012, 1.8 million people fell ill with it. According to this year's report - "World Cancer Report 2014" - the number of cancer cases in 2025 will increase from 14 to 19 million per year, in 2030 - up to 22 million, and in 2035 - up to 24 million.
What are the reasons for the increase in cancer incidence?
Dr. Chris Wild, director of the WHO agenda, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), believes that population growth and an aging population are the main causes of the rise in cancer incidence. Dr. Wild emphasizes that the increase in the cost of treating neoplastic diseases is also significant, as they get out of control even in the richest countries.
One IARC expert Dr. Bernard Stewart of the University of New South Wales in Australia adds that smoking and excessive sugar consumption are also risk factors. Excess sugar in the diet is one of the causes of the scourge of obesity and greatly increases the risk of cancer. It was reported at the 2014 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium that obesity may soon become a more dangerous risk factor for cancer than smoking.
According to specialists, the risk of developing cancer is also increased by excessive sunbathing, air pollution and other environmental factors harmful to he alth.
How to avoid the "tsunami" of cancer?
Every third respondent believes that the main cause of cancer is genetic predisposition, which is not true. As specialists emphasize, genes are responsible only for 10 percent. cases of illness. It is true that cancer is caused by genetic disorders, but it can be caused by factorsenvironment, they are also favored by an unhe althy lifestyle. Therefore, the most important thing is prevention, which allows you to prevent every second case of cancer - emphasizes Dr. Chris Wild.
According to the "World Cancer Report 2014" prepared by IARC, the most important preventive measures are:
- to quit smoking
- better protection against infections, mainly thanks to the popularization of vaccinations
- reducing alcohol and sugar consumption
- fight overweight and obesity
In addition, it is also important to eat a he althy diet, in particular, to consume more vegetables and fruits, and to increase physical activity.