Many deaths from breast cancer are preventable, with 28% of the years of healthy life lost to the disease attributable to six modifiable risk factors.
This is according to a new study published in The Lancet Oncology medical journal.
In 2023, there were 2.3 million new breast cancer cases worldwide and 764,000 women died from the disease, the researchers, led by University of Washington (UW) assistant professor in health metrics sciences Dr Lisa Force in the United States, wrote in early March (2026).
The team calculated the share the avoidable risk factors had in the 24 million years of healthy life lost in 2023 due to illness or premature death from breast cancer, which were:
- Eating large amounts of red meat, such as beef, pork, goat and lamb, had the biggest share at 11%.
- Smoking, including passive smoking, followed at 8%.
- High blood sugar accounted for 6%.
- A high body mass index (BMI), i.e. being overweight, was linked to 4%.
- High alcohol consumption accounted for 2%
- Low physical activity likewise accounted for 2%.
This means that a healthy lifestyle without smoking, but with plenty of exercise and a healthy weight, can help avoid losing healthy years of life to the disease, the study said.
There are also genetic and other non-modifiable causes of the cancer.
Between 1990 and 2023, the disease burden attributable to alcohol and tobacco fell significantly by 47% and 28% respectively, the authors noted.
For the other factors, there has been no such positive development to date, they added.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women.
By 2050, annual new cases are expected to rise by a third to 3.5 million, according to the team.
The number of deaths will also increase to almost 1.4 million per year.
“While those in high-income countries typically benefit from screening and more timely diagnosis and comprehensive treatment strategies, the mounting burden of breast cancer is shifting to low- and lower middle-income countries where individuals often face later-stage diagnosis, more limited access to quality care and higher death rates that are threatening to eclipse progress in women’s health,” said study lead author and UW research scientist Kayleigh Bhangdia.
The researchers see strong potential for prevention.
“With more than a quarter of the global breast cancer burden linked to six modifiable lifestyle changes, there are tremendous opportunities to alter the trajectory of breast cancer risk for the next generation,” said study co-author and National University of Singapore data scientist Associate Prof Dr Marie Ng.
Health policy could be targeted more precisely and individuals better advised, e.g. to reduce excess weight or lower blood sugar, she said. – dpa
