Breast cancer death rates to rise in wake of obesity crisis

RISING obesity in women will see breast cancer deaths start to rise again for the first time in 30 years, a report shows.

After decades of progress, the number of women dying from the disease is expected to start climbing again within four years, experts warned.

Lifestyle factors, including excess weight and drinking, will cause 89,000 cases in the next decade, they said.

While survival rates are improving, unhealthier lifestyles, the growing ageing population and poor screening uptake will undermine this progress.

Charities warned it will overshadow years of medical advances, with deaths declining from 15,625 in 1989 to fewer than 11,500.

Baroness Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, the charity behind the research, said: ‘This projected rise in breast cancer deaths is deeply worrying, but it is not too late to stop it.

‘ More women are surviving breast cancer than ever before. But this progress is not sustainable without more investment to tackle the projected increase in the number of women losing their lives.’

Breast cancer is the UK’s most common cancer, with around 55,000 women and 350 men being diagnosed with each year, and survival rates continue to lag behind other European countries such as Sweden and Portugal.

Studies suggest that nearly a quarter – or 23 per cent – of breast cancers are preventable through lifestyle changes, the equivalent of around 10,600 cases in 2016, costing the NHS £ 102million. Researchers from the York Health Economic Consortium, working with Breast Cancer Now, estimate that NHS England would save £2billion in treatment costs by 2027 if there were no more preventable cases.

Screening uptake is at its lowest rate in a decade at 71.1 per cent last year, way below the 80 per cent target, while screening an additional 230,323 women each year would help to prevent around 1,260 deaths, the charity suggests.

Breast Cancer now is today urging the Government to renew its focus on promoting sustainable healthy lifestyles and improving screening uptake. The call comes after a World Health Organisation report found the UK was the third- fattest of 53 European nations, with 29 per cent of women and 27 per cent of men obese.

Baroness Morgan said: ‘We simply cannot afford to let such clear chances to prevent thousands of deaths pass us by.’

A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘Cancer is a key priority for this Government and survival rates are at a record high ... But we know there is more to do, and NHS England is investing over £600m to transform cancer services.’