Breast cancer death rates falling across Europe – but not for everyone
Breast cancer death rates are falling for most age groups in the EU, apart from one.
A study led by Carlo La Vecchia (University of Milan; Italy) has predicted that breast cancer death rates will decline across most age groups in the EU and UK by 2025, except for EU patients aged 80 and over. The study also revealed that all types of cancer deaths are decreasing apart from pancreatic and lung cancer deaths in both sexes.
Breast cancer death rates have fallen by 30% in the EU since 1990, thanks to advances in early detection, treatment and prevention. While the death rates for most age groups in the EU and UK are predicted to continue to fall in 2025, for one age group this is not the case.
In older patients in the EU, aged 80 and over, the overall mortality rate for breast cancer is expected to rise by 10%. In contrast, for this age group in the UK, breast cancer death rates are predicted to decrease by 7%. Additionally, there is also expected to be a 4% decrease in breast cancer deaths in this age group in Spain.
This increase in cancer deaths is thought to be attributed to decreased screening. Carlo La Vecchia explained, “Elderly women are not covered by screening and probably are less favourably affected by the substantial advances in breast cancer management, including improvements in chemo- and hormone therapy, as well as radiotherapy and surgery.”
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The death rates are projected to decrease by 7% in younger women aged 20–49 in the EU and by nearly 15% in the UK. Across all age groups overall, breast cancer mortality will decline by 4% in the EU and 6% in the UK. Germany (14%) leads with the most significant reduction followed by the UK (10%), Poland (9%), France and Spain (8%), and Italy (2%).
Across the board, deaths from cancers of all types are also projected to drop across the EU and UK, the former will see a 3.5% decrease in cancer deaths for men and a 1% decrease for women. The UK will experience a greater drop of 10% for men and 6% for women. However, as the EU and the UK experience an aging population, the overall number of deaths from cancer will continue to rise.
The study has also brought forth concerning types of cancers that do not follow this trend, with pancreatic cancer deaths being predicted to increase by 2% in men and 3% in women in the EU, while lung cancer deaths among women are set to rise 4%.
Eva Negri, co-researcher from the University of Bologna (Italy), highlighted smoking as a key driver of rising pancreatic cancer cases, “Smoking remains by far the major recognized cause of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 20 to 35% of cases in various populations and age groups.”
Other factors such as obesity and metabolic syndromes are also a concern and may hinder the fall in cancer death rates, especially in older women; however, control and avoidance of smoking remain the top priority for pancreatic cancer control.
Commenting on how he would like to see this research translated into change, La Vecchia commented: “Organized breast cancer screening should be extended across Europe ideally up to age 74, and adequate management in specialized centres should be assured to all European breast cancer patients.”