In the women of North Africa and Middle East raised temperatures are connected to an increase in breast, ovar and cervical tumors.
In addition to increasing the diffusion of malori due to excessive heat and tropical infections, global warming could raise the risk of certain forms of tumors. Based on a study published on Frontiers in Public Healththe global warming would be making some female tumors more common and more lethal between the women of North Africa and the Middle East. Even if the increase in cases for each extra degree of temperature is modest, the cumulative impactin time and geography, on global public health it could be important.
Global warming and health
Some effects on the health of climate change are well documented. Extreme events and heat waves increase the diffusion of diseases from vectors, zoonosis, diseases related to bad quality of water and malnutrition; The air worsen the respiratory diseases, increase the risk of mental disorders and chronic diseases.
Unexpected weather conditions and extreme temperatures compromise infrastructure and health systems. By worsening the basic hygienic conditions, toxins and pollutants are spreading more easily. But often, it is difficult to find medical assistance and access screening procedures.
Due to poverty and unfavorable social and cultural norms, Women are more exposed to climate change and more vulnerable to their consequences, especially if they are in a state of pregnancy.
Tumors and global warming
The scientists of the American University of Cairo, in Egypt, have selected a sample of 17 North African and Middle Eastern countries particularly exposed to the consequences of global warming: Algeria, Bahrein, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and United Arab Emirates. Palestine. They then sought the data on prevalence and mortality of breast cancer, ovaries, cervix and uterus and tried to understand how they had changed between 1998 and 2019.
The researchers observed that tumor incidence and mortality they increased slightly, but statistically significant for each degree of additional temperature ( +173-280 cases per 100,000 people for each degree, the incidence; +171-332 deaths every 100,000 people for each degree, the deaths). Incidence and mortality were higher especially for cases of ovarian cancer.
When they analyzed the country cases per country, scientists observed that prevalence and cancer deaths had actually increased only in six countries: Qatar, Bahrein, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Syria. This could be traced back to the particularly extreme summer temperatures highlighted in these countries in recent years, or to other factors not captured by the analyzes in the study.
This suggests that high temperatures are a risk element for tumors, but that the level of risk and the way they raise it change from the country to the village.
What does the climate have to do with tumors?
Extreme temperatures could be associated with more pervasive air pollution in areas with already high smog levels; could increase exposure to carcinogenic substances Notes through the environment, worsen the available health services or act at cellular level. It will also be necessary to take into account this type of risks, in public health policies.
