Breast Cancer Cases Rise with industrial Growth, But Early Detection Offers Hope
Corrèze, France – As “Pink October” awareness campaigns unfold, a French surgeon is sounding a note of caution alongside optimism regarding breast cancer trends. Dr. Arnaud Robert confirms the disease disproportionately affects women in developed nations, and its incidence is climbing in parallel with global industrialization. Though, advancements in treatment and, crucially, early detection are driving down mortality rates.
“Breast cancer is multifactorial,” Dr. Robert explained. “There are genetic risks, lifestyle factors like alcohol consumption, smoking, or lack of physical activity, and then there’s environmental pollution – air pollution, pesticides, and endocrine disruptors – which can also play a major role.”
Despite the increasing number of diagnoses, the mortality rate has steadily decreased, falling from 20.2 deaths per 100,000 women in 1990 to 14.0 in 2018, according to data from Public Health France. This improvement is directly linked to earlier diagnosis. “The earlier a cancer is detected, the more likely it is to be cured,” Dr. Robert emphasizes, noting a 90% cure rate for cancers caught at an early stage.
The hopeful outlook resonates with patients like Delphine, a woman in her early 40s from the Corrèze region, who received a breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year. “My cancer was detected early, so remission is near,” she stated.
Though, maximizing these positive trends requires increased participation in screening programs. For two decades, women aged 50 to 74 have been invited to undergo free, biennial mammograms. Yet, less than half of eligible women currently participate. Jean-Louis Jayat, president of the Corrèze committee of the League against Cancer, highlights a particular challenge in rural areas. “As soon as we move away from health centers, any follow-up becomes more complicated.We must therefore emphasize prevention in this area,” he said, stressing that while screening is encouraged, it remains a personal choice.
