Cancer rates have increased to women in countries that have increased intense heat health

Cancer deaths among women increased by increasing temperatures in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa in the past two decades, according to a new study on an area that is particularly vulnerable to severe heat.

Initial results, Published This week, in the Journal of Frontiers in public health, it contributes to an increasing group of investigations into The effects of temperature And Climate In health. Scientists analyzed breast, ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer in women from 17 countries and discovered what they called a small but large increase in cases and deaths.

The authors show the relationship, when climate change increases from exposure to the risk of cancer by increasing ultraviolet rays and Infltitals in the atmosphere. Reducing layer Ozone It can mean more exposure to ultraviolet radiation, according to the investigators. High temperatures can also lead to dehydration and forest fires, which may cause pollution.

“This can increase exposure to a wide range of factors associated with cancer risks,” says Irina Stepanov, a professor of public health and is part of the Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota.

The center’s attention in women

It was important, according to the authors, to focus attention on women, which many may not receive an appropriate examination or treatment in this part of the world.

“Women in this region face cultural, legal and economic barriers in front of examination and treatment, while they were not proportional to the substances that cause environmental materials,” said co -author Wafa Abelkir Mattaria, the main researcher at Cairo University, American University. “Our results emphasize the need to integrate strategies to adapt to climate change in national cancer control plans with a gender sensitive perspective.”

Increase each percentage degree

The study of increased temperatures, cases and cancer deaths between 1998 and 2019, scientists found that cases of different types of tumors increased from 173 to 280 per 100,000 people per degree of degrees. The deaths increased from 171 to 332 x 100 thousand per degree. In both cases and deaths, ovarian cancer was the most.

He said: “The most surprising discovery was the consistency of the relationship between increased temperature and cancer and deaths, not only at the regional level, but also in many countries.” Both cases and deaths increased in Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Syria.

According to the authors, the heat It can be a strict factor, including pollution. On the other hand, when the pollution is the most warm, harmful pollution can also be worse.

Infltitals and temperatures

“For some pollutants, such as ozone, and in some cases, PM2.5 Julian Marshall, a professor of air quality and public health engineering at Washington University, said when chemical reactions are warmer, and for this reason we keep food in the refrigerator for a longer time.

“The increase in temperature may work in multiple ways,” explains the co -author of the article, Sungoo Chun, a professor at Cairo University, USA. “Increases exposure to materials that cause severe materials, disturb health care and may even affect biological processes at the cellular level. Together, these mechanisms may increase the risk of cancer over time.”

It is difficult to find and compare data

In some of the analyzed countries, where the authors realize that women’s health care is more difficult to reach, it may also be difficult to find accurate data. The researchers used a collection of data from the University of Washington’s health standards and evaluation, which fit under the well -known ground. It also merged the gross domestic product To happen To control Wealth variations This may mean access to health care.

“However, we realize that other factors, including the differences in the availability of the examination, can affect the spreading data,” says Wafa Abelkheir Mataria.

The authors also confirm that the increase in the examination usually means more cases, but less than deaths, because capturing more cases will lead to more treatment. That is why it is important to increase both cases and deaths, they confirm.

Separate the temperature effect

In places where it becomes more hot due ClimateStepanov said, high -risk chemicals may be increasing. “Therefore, controlling these factors will be very important to separate the specified temperature.”

He also added that despite the restrictions, “this study draws attention to an important issue related to potential relationships between increased temperatures and cancer risk.”

Authors say they expect their initial discoveries to increase awareness and encourage countries to include women in their climate and health policies.

“We hope this study will lead governments, researchers and civil society to treat climate change not only as an environmental issue, but also as a issue of royal rights to women’s health,” says researcher Wafa Abuilis Mattaria.