Madrid (EFE).- World Cancer Day is celebrated this Saturday, a date on which associations, medical organizations, professionals and institutions call to prevent a disease that is expected to diagnose more than 279,000 people in 2023. Spain, the majority of colon, breast and lung cancer.
These are the data that the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) considers of a disease that represents the most important socio-sanitary problem in the world: one in two men and one in three women will have cancer throughout their lives, points out the Spanish Association Against Cancer.
And the disease that is increasing, to the point that in Spain 341,000 cases are expected in 2040.
The most frequent cancers
The most frequent cancers will be those of the colon and rectum (42,721 new cases), breast (35,001), lung (31,282), prostate (29,002) and urinary bladder (21,694).
In men, those of the prostate (29,002), colon and rectum (26,357) and lung (22,266) will be the majority, while women will suffer those of the breast (35,001) and those of the colon and rectum (16,364).
Mortality
The INE data for 2021 show that tumors were the second cause of death in Spain (25.2% of deaths, 113,662) with an increase of 0.8% compared to the previous year and only behind system diseases. circulatory (26.4% of deaths, 119,196).
Lung, colon, pancreatic, breast and prostate cancers were the ones that caused the highest mortality.
Regarding the net survival five years after diagnosis of patients diagnosed between 2008-2013, in Spain it was 55.3% in men and 61.7% in women.
Risk factor’s
Tobacco, alcohol and obesity continue to be some of the most important and preventable risk factors related to cancer. 33% of cancers worldwide and up to 22% of cancer deaths are the responsibility of tobacco.
It is estimated that in 2020 in Spain alcohol was the cause of the diagnosis of about 4,500 cases of colon cancer, about 2,100 cases of breast cancer, and about 1,500 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and tumors of the oral cavity, among others.
There are at least nine types of obesity-related cancer, including postmenopausal breast and endometrial cancer, as well as colon and kidney cancers.
The influence of the environment
But there are other environmental factors as well. The National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) draws attention to the relationship between the health of people and the health of the planet, since several of the factors that most influence its appearance are related to the environmental crisis.
Clean air, a stable climate, adequate water, sanitation and hygiene, the safe use of chemicals, radiation protection, sound waste management and healthy and safe workplaces, a sustainable diet and biodiversity would help to prevent disease.
awareness
Several campaigns, including the AECC “Todos Contra el Cáncer”, seek to raise awareness and mobilize Spanish society to increase the cancer survival rate to 70% by 2030. The entities request more resources for prevention, research and treatment of cancer.
