Italy’s yearly cancer rate rise among women

Cancer cases have risen in Italy this year but only among women, according to a new report.

New tumour diagnoses will have risen to 377,000 this year, the report said, about 6,000 more than 2019. But the rise is entirely due to the gain in female cases.

Men’s diagnoses are forecast to fall from 196,000 last year to 195,000 this, while women’s cases will rise to 182,000 from 175,000. The most common cancer is breast cancer (54,976 new cases, or 14,6% of the new diagnoses), followed by colon-rectum (43,702), lung cancer (40,882), and prostate cancer (36,074).

A concerning rise in female diagnoses of pulmonary carcinoma is continuing, up 3.4% this year, said the report. This is wholly linked to smoking rates among women, it said.

The good news is that survival rates are up too. People who live on for many years after a diagnosis are now around 3.6 million, 37% up on 10 years ago, said the report, titled “Cancer Numbers In Italy 2020”. Some 65% of women were still alive fives years after being diagnosed. It was presented at the Higher Health Institute (ISS).

“There is a lot to be done, but the rate of recovery is growing,” said Health Minister Roberto Speranza.

ANSA