Cancer cases among women aged 50 to 64 have surpassed those in men in the US, a new study by the American Cancer Society (ACS), published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, has found. This marks the first instance since the early 1900s when cancer has been higher among women than men. Though the mortality from the disease had declined, cancer rates in women under 50 were now 82 per cent higher than their male counterparts, which is up from 51 per cent in 2002, as per a CBS News report.
Breast cancer in particular has been rising faster among women under 50. It is up by 1.4 per cent a year since the mid-2000s, compared to a 0.7 per cent annual rise among older women.
"Here's the bottom line: We've got more cancers overall, particularly those in younger people, and particularly those in women," said Dr Arif Kamal, chief patient officer at the ACS.
"Ten years ago, men were 50 per cent more likely to get cancer than today. Today, it's almost close to even, and that's a combination of two things: fewer cancers in men but, importantly, more cancers in women."
Though the report did not determine the reason for the increase, the obesity rates as well as genetic and environmental factors are believed to be the reason for the spike.
“There are 13 different cancers associated with being overweight. There are seven different cancers associated with alcohol intake," added Dr Kamal.
As for men, the study results brought mixed results. A big decline has been reported in rates of lung cancer incidence for men of all ages since 1975 but prostate cancer has seen a spike.
'Women lose 22 minutes'
Apart from cancer rates increasing in women, another recent study found that women lose 22 minutes of their lives every time they smoke a cigarette, compared to 17 minutes in men. Scientists at University College London (UCL) conducted the study and highlighted that on average, a cigarette takes about 20 minutes off a person's life, meaning that a pack of 20 cigarettes shortens a person's life by nearly seven hours.
Previous research has shown that there is no safe level of smoking with the risk of heart disease and stroke only about 50 per cent lower for those who smoke one cigarette a day, compared to those who burn up 20 a day.
