On December 12, 2013, the news agency Reuters reported that global cancer mortality had risen to 8.2 million in 2012, with the contribution of breast cancer increasing in particular. In the article, Kate Kelland, journalist for Reuters comments on the newly released GLOBOCAN 2012 report (pdf) of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which was released on December 12, 2013. The report builds on an earlier survey from 2008 which had found 7.6 million cancer deaths, and 522 000 breast cancer deaths. In the Reuters article, David Forman, head of IARC’s Section of Cancer, states that the increased mortality rate can be partially related back to increased cancer incidence due to lifestyle changes. In 2012, 20% more women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer than in 2008. The growth of breast cancer is affected by hormone levels and has also been linked to substances used in food contact materials (FCMs). The IARC predicts that cancer cases will continue to increase, estimating 19.3 million cancer cases for 2025. IARC’s director Christopher Wild pointed out that there is a “huge inequality” in cancer treatment between rich and poor countries. As such, cervical cancer is rarely effectively treated in poor countries, whereas rich countries have made great advances in reducing mortality rates.
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IARC (December 12, 2013). “GLOBOCAN 2012” (pdf)
Kate Kelland (December 12, 2013). “Cancer deaths rise to 8.2 million, breast cancer sharply up.”
