Cancer has become the leading cause of death in Western Europe, ahead of cardiovascular disease. Prevention is more difficult in this area according to doctors.
Cancer has become the leading cause of death in Western Europe, ahead of cardiovascular disease. This is the conclusion of a study conducted on the continent, published this Monday in the journal European Heart Journal.
Across the world, cardiovascular pathologies remain the deadliest. They total 17.3 million deaths each year. But on the scale of 12 Western European countries analyzed by the authors (Belgium, France, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and United Kingdom), they are in decline, making cancer the leading cause of death.
For example, in France, 92,375 men died of cancer in 2011, while 64,711 died of cardiovascular disease. Same trend in Spain and the UK. And, even if they report strong regional inequalities, the authors of the work explain: “it is the significant progress in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases that have made it possible to reduce mortality rates in the West”. Regarding the bad numbers of cancer, the researchers do not give an explanation. Contacted by Why actor, Professor Laurent Zelek, oncologist at the Avicenne Hospital (Bobigny), gives some answers.
How do you explain the number one position of cancers?
Prof. Laurent Zelek : For chronic and cardiovascular diseases, prevention generally consists of fighting against a sedentary lifestyle. This will also act on a small proportion of cancers (breast, prostate, etc.) where it is found as a risk factor. But the big problem for all those involved in this fight lies in the fact that cancer prevention is much more complex because of the heterogeneity of the disease.
Concretely, what problem (s) does this pose?
Prof. Laurent Zelek : For example, if we want to prevent cancers linked to human papillomavirus (HPV), vaccination should be generalized. But this would immediately pose several problems on the risk-benefit ratios of this strategy. No politician will take the risk of getting into this.
For some cancers, the key is the fight against tobacco, for others, the fight against a sedentary lifestyle is essential. In short, the cancer control policy targets dozens of totally different diseases.
Does the environmental factor aggravate the phenomenon?
Prof. Laurent Zelek : On this question, we have a lot of concerns and few certainties. The clinical data raise questions about the role of endocrine disruptors in carcinogenesis. The issue is also burning in the role they play in increasing the incidence of breast cancer.
Should we trigger public health policies from this, or are we waiting? These are very difficult choices to make, I admit, but the second option risks taking us 20 years in sight. Finally, the role of pollution and occupational exposure in the occurrence of cancer is today most certainly underestimated.
Are these numbers related to the decline in cardiovascular disease?
Prof. Laurent Zelek : Yes, and almost mathematically, unfortunately. If people die less from cardiovascular disease, they have to die of something. In the end, they die later and very often from neurodegenerative diseases and cancer.
This is clearly a trend reversal. Before, we would die sooner and from cardiovascular disease. These people had not yet developed cancer. The rise of oncogeriatrics is indisputable proof that things are changing. Unlike in the past, we now take care of cancer patients aged 75-80 in our services.
These results are not surprising.
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