New research has determined that breast cancer rates are on the rise for women globally.

CNN reported that breast cancer rates are expected to hit a new peak, estimated to reach more than 3.5 million cases by 2050. However, this is mainly due to gaps in medical equity between high- and low-earning countries.

While high-earning countries have seen a decline in breast cancer mortality, mainly due to investment in screening, prevention, and treatment, those in the global south have seen the opposite impact. Residents of high-income countries saw a 30% decline in deaths from breast cancer from 1990 to 2023. For those living in the lowest-income countries, breast cancer-induced deaths have increased by 99% within the same 30-year timeframe.

These findings come from a study published in The Lancet Oncology journal. The study also found that the diagnosis rate rose by 147% in these lower-income nations.

“There were improvements in mortality rates over time in higher-income settings, but there were really inequities in progress and increasing mortality in some lower-income settings,” said senior study author, Dr. Lisa Force.

In this current decade, these figures previously sat at over one million fewer cases. The study estimated that only 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023. Of the women with the illness, 764,000 also died that same year.

These death rates remain particularly high for women in sub-Saharan Africa, where breast cancer mortality rates in this region double the global average. This is particularly due to the scarcity of medical treatments and centers available in the area.

Only half of African countries have external beam radiotherapy service, often used to treat breast cancer, leaving diagnosed women with limited resources to combat the disease. This sharply contrasts with the options a U.S. woman has when battling breast cancer, with surgery, chemotherapy, and targeted treatments also available.

Cost is another factor. Health insurance often covers the pricey treatment, a luxury that women in low-income countries often lack. While preemptive mastectomies can help if testing reveals a likely chance of diagnosis, the lack of infrastructure for postoperative care in certain nations makes this another insufficient option for women.

“In low-income countries, people are being left behind,” Dr. Kamal Menghrajani explained to the news outlet. “They’re finding cancer more frequently, and when they find it, they may not have the resources to offer the best treatment.”

However, breast cancer still remains one of the most diagnosed forms of cancer, representing nearly a fourth of all cancers diagnosed in women. Its more aggressive forms also disproportionately impact Black women, an issue still prevalent alongside regional barriers to care.

The study revealed that Black American women face even higher death rates than their white counterparts, despite seemingly having access to high-quality health care as opposed to non-Americans. In some respects, this internal health equity gap has prompted this demographic to have comparable outcomes to women outside the country.

“Disparities within countries are sometimes similar to disparities between countries,” added Force. “If you’re diagnosed later with breast cancer, the outcomes are generally poor.”

The World Health Organization has initiatives in place to reduce these gaps across the U.S. and on a global scale. However, these mortality numbers and cases are still on the rise. Given this, public health experts agree that more investment must occur at a systemic level to reduce breast cancer rates.

Menghrajani added, “We need to have strong infrastructure in place to be able to treat people who have cancer and support them all the way through so that they can be cured.”

In the meantime, getting appropriate screenings can also help identify and prevent this disease before it’s too late.

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