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The Independent
27-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Global heating may be fuelling rise in deadly cancers among women
Rising temperatures could be increasing the risk of fatal cancers among women in some of the world's hottest regions, a new study found. Researchers analysed cancer trends across 17 Middle Eastern and North African countries and found that as temperatures increased, driven by the climate crisis, so did the rates and severity of four major cancers affecting women – breast, ovarian, uterine, and cervical. They found that each degree Celsius rise in heat between 1998 and 2019 was associated with statistically significant increases in both cancer prevalence and mortality. 'As temperatures rise, cancer mortality among women also rises, particularly for ovarian and breast cancers,' study lead author, Dr Wafa Abuelkheir Mataria, from the American University in Cairo, said. 'Although the increases per degree of temperature rise are modest, their cumulative public health impact is substantial.' The findings come as the Middle East and North Africa face projected temperature increases of up to 4C by 2050, exposing more people to climate-linked health threats, particularly women who are already vulnerable due to structural inequalities and limited healthcare access. 'Women are physiologically more vulnerable to climate-related health risks, particularly during pregnancy,' study co-author Dr Sungsoo Chun said. 'This is compounded by inequalities that limit access to healthcare. Marginalised women face a multiplied risk because they are more exposed to environmental hazards and less able to access early screening and treatment services.' Across the region, the data showed ovarian cancer cases rose the most sharply per degree of warming while cervical cancer saw the smallest increase. Breast cancer remained the most common, but all four afflictions showed both higher prevalence and mortality. Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the UAE showed the strongest temperature-linked increases. In Qatar, for example, the prevalence of breast cancer rose by 560 cases per 100,000 women for each degree of warming, compared to 330 in Bahrain. While they controlled for economic differences by accounting for GDP, the researchers cautioned that other local factors, such as pollution levels, heatwave exposure or changes in healthcare systems, could also contribute. 'While we controlled for GDP per capita, other unmeasured factors could contribute,' Dr Mataria said. 'Nonetheless, the consistent associations observed in multiple countries and cancer types provide compelling grounds for further investigation.' The study does not establish direct causation but adds to growing evidence that the climate crisis is intensifying the global burden of disease, particularly in regions already facing health inequities. 'Temperature rise likely acts through multiple pathways,' Dr Chun explained. 'It increases exposure to known carcinogens, disrupts healthcare delivery, and may even influence biological processes at the cellular level. Together, these mechanisms could elevate cancer risk over time.' The authors said more targeted surveillance and interventions were needed to address the emerging risks. 'Strengthening cancer screening programs, building climate-resilient health systems, and reducing exposure to environmental carcinogens are key steps. Without addressing these underlying vulnerabilities, the cancer burden linked to climate change will continue to grow,' Dr Chun said.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Doctors sound alarm over link between cancer explosion and crisis Trump calls a hoax
Global warming could be fueling growing rates of cancer in women, a shock study suggests. Researchers in Egypt analyzed the rates of breast, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers in 17 Middle Eastern countries and compared them to rising temperatures over time. They found that for every one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) temperatures increased, cases of the four cancers on average increased by up to 280 per 100,000 people over the last 20 years. Increased overall cases were most common in ovarian cancer, with an increase of 280 per 100,000 people, and least prevalent in breast cancer, with an increase of 173 per 100,000. Deaths from all four cancers on average also rose by 171 to 332 deaths per 100,000 for each degree of temperature rise. The greatest rise in deaths was in ovarian cancer at 332 per 100,000, and the smallest was in cervical cancer at 171 per 100,000. The experts from the American University in Cairo note their study was observational and does not prove causation. But they believe global warming could increase exposure to carcinogens, such as those created by wildfire pollution. Extreme weather events such as wildfires and hurricanes, can also disrupt necessary screenings and cancer treatments, causing an increase in cases and deaths. Women are also thought to be more prone to these health effects from climate change, especially during pregnancy and menopause. Dr Wafa Abuelkheir Mataria, first study author and researcher at the American University in Cairo, said: 'As temperatures rise, cancer mortality among women also rises — particularly for ovarian and breast cancers. 'Although the increases per degree of temperature rise are modest, their cumulative public health impact is substantial.' Though the research only looked at countries in the Middle East and North Africa, the US and UK have also been struck by climate change and surging rates of some female cancers. Breast cancer, which strikes 330,000 US women every year, has increased one percent every year since 2012, according to the American Cancer Society. Uterine or endometrial cancer rates have also increased about 0.6 percent per year from 2010 to 2019. The disease affects 69,000 US women and kills 14,000 every year. Ovarian and cervical cancers, however, have decreased by up to two percent per year over the last decade, largely due to increased use of birth control and better access to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. In the UK, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 10 minutes, adding up to 55,000 per year. Over 12,000 women lost their lives to breast cancer to the disease in 2022, and figures show it is set to hit more than 17,000 by the half century, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. Ovarian cancer affects 7,500 women in the UK and kills 4,300, and uterine cancer affects 10,000 and kills 2,500. And each year 3,300 Brits are struck by cervical cancer and 850 lose their lives. The findings also come after President Donald Trump axed 1,000 climate scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), following a history of dismissing climate change as a hoax. The study, published Tuesday in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, collected data on cases and deaths from breast, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers for 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Nations included in the study were Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Palestine. The team then compared cancer data to changing temperatures in each country. All data collected, from online United Nations databases, represented 1998 through 2019. For every one degree Celsius of temperature change, cases of the four cancers increased by between 173 and 280 additional cancers per 100,000 people. Ovarian cancer had the biggest increase at 280 additional cancers, while breast had the smallest at 173. Cancer deaths overall increased by 171 to 332 deaths per 100,000 for each degree of temperature rise. The greatest rise in deaths was in ovarian cancer, and the smallest was in cervical cancer. Cancer prevalence and deaths increased alongside temperatures in six countries: Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Syria. Breast cancer increased by 330 cases per 100,000 people in Bahrain, 560 in Qatar and 440 in the UAE. Deaths from breast cancer rose 420 per 100,000 in Jordan, 550 per 100,000 in Qatar, 310 per 100,000 in Saudi Arabia and 350 per 100,000 in UAE for each degree of Celsius. Ovarian cancer prevalence increased in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE by 390, 460, 540 and 290 per 100,000 people, respectively, as temperatures rose. Deaths from ovarian cancer in those four countries rose between 330 and 480 per 100,000. Cervical cancer increased in Bahrain, Qatar and Syria by 380, 510 and 250 cases per 100,000, respectively. Deaths from the disease increased by 330 per 100,000 in Iran, 450 per 100,000 in Jordan and 610 per 100,000 in Qatar. For uterine cancer, prevalence increased in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE by 480 per 100,000, 620 per 100,000, 360 per 100,000 and 370 per 100,000, respectively. Deaths from uterine cancer rose in Jordan and Qatar by 440 and 430 per 100,000. Dr Sungsoo Chun, study co-author and associate chair of the Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology at the American University in Cairo, said: 'Temperature rise likely acts through multiple pathways. It increases exposure to known carcinogens, disrupts healthcare delivery, and may even influence biological processes at the cellular level. 'Together, these mechanisms could elevate cancer risk over time.' He also noted women are 'physiologically more vulnerable to climate-related health risks, particularly during pregnancy.' 'This is compounded by inequalities that limit access to healthcare. Marginalized women face a multiplied risk because they are more exposed to environmental hazards and less able to access early screening and treatment services,' he added. Dr Mataria cautioned the study 'cannot establish direct causality,' and there could be other factors in individual countries influencing cancer rates in women. She said: 'Nonetheless, the consistent associations observed across multiple countries and cancer types provide compelling grounds for further investigation.' The team called for stronger cancer screening programs in areas particularly prone to climate change, as well as reducing exposure to environmental carcinogens. Dr Chun said: 'Without addressing these underlying vulnerabilities, the cancer burden linked to climate change will continue to grow.'
