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In 2024, the province of Malaga exceeded 10,000 new cases of cancer registered in a single year. While these 10,044 diagnoses (more than 27 a day) make for a concerning statistic, it should be remembered that cures are also up to 60%, double the rate of 30 years ago. The ageing of the population is the primary reason for this increase, although experts are also concerned about the increase in digestive cancers in younger age groups.
The total number of those diagnosed with some type of cancer in 2024 was 232 more than those registered in 2023, 2.3% more. In the last decade - except for 2020, where the figures are ambiguous due to the arrival of the Covid pandemic - this increase has been sustained at around 2% per year. Dr Emilio Alba echoes a fact that is now well-known: the rise in cancer is due to the ageing of the population. "Cancer is primarily a disease of the elderly," he said.
The data confirms that. According to the Cancer Observatory, of the 10,000 cases, 75% were diagnosed in people over the age of 60, with the 75+ age group accounting for almost four out of every ten cases in total. Men are the most affected, with 57% of the diagnoses.
For Quirónsalud Málaga surgeon César Ramírez, this data can be explained mainly by three reasons: firstly, the notable growth of the population in Malaga in recent years. Secondly, the exponential ageing of the same, "being one of the greatest non-modifiable risk factors predisposing to the appearance of a neoplasm; at the same time, as we know, people are living longer and longer and cancer has already overtaken cardiovascular diseases as the main cause of death in our country", he stated. Finally, Ramírez gave the increase to unfavourable lifestyle habits, such as the consumption of alcohol and tobacco and lack of exercise.
For yet another year, colorectal cancers take first place, as this type of cancer affects both men and women. The total number of diagnoses in Malaga increased to 1,400, with a rate of 79 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. However, if we were to focus on gender-specific data, breast cancer (1,283) and prostate cancer (1,222) have seen the highest growth, with 141 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. For the first time, the rate of prostate cancer has 'tied' with that of breast cancer.
According to Emilio Alba, one of the most "concerning" issues in recent years has been the increase in digestive cancers in younger people, which is due to two factors. "Diet, of course. We have been witnessing this since the turn of the century. What we eat is not entirely appropriate, a lot of red meat and processed foods, with a lot of preservatives," he said. Secondly, he stated that the change in the intestinal flora, "produced by the massive intake of antibiotics" in the last twenty or thirty years, was another contributing factor.
According to Ramírez, nutrition organisations have shown evidence of the impact of eating habits on the prevention of diseases of the digestive system - "findings that demonstrate a connection between unhealthy diets and an increase in neoplasms of the digestive system". Ramírez stated the Mediterranean diet and its nutritional variety, accompanied by more physically active lifestyles, have kept the figures of obesity lower in Spain, which also helps the prevention of cancer development.
Cures
Even with 10,000 cases weighing over 2024, not all figures are negative. Alongside this increase in diagnoses, there is also a rise in the number of cures, which has been driven, among other things, by improved medicine and an increased awareness of prevention.
Six out of every ten people who get diagnosed with cancer in Malaga survive beyond five years - a figure that is not only the best in historical records, but also slightly higher than the European average. In fact, it is double the figure of 30 years ago. Medical advances (in which Andalucía, in general, and Malaga, in particular, are leading the way) are allowing the cure rate to rise with each year.
The other relevant factor in this high survival rate is that of early detection. In Malaga, cancer continues to be the leading cause of death in men and the second in women, as well as the leading cause of death in both sexes under the age of 65. However, in the last two and a half years, the post-pandemic situation has been improved and cancer is now diagnosed without the delays that were experienced during Covid.
It should be noted that the consequences of the pandemic affected practically every aspect of medicine, but the late detection of at least 20% of cases was particularly damaging. Evidence for this crisis was found in the 2021 balance sheet, in which practically two out of every ten patients had not been detected early. In a report published at the time, the Ministry of Health acknowledged "a reduction in diagnoses", which it blamed on several causes stemming from the pandemic: the suspension of screening programmes, difficulties in accessing primary and hospital care, delays in appointments for medical tests and fear of contagion.
"We are achieving an early-stage detection of more and more cancer cases, which facilitates their treatment and cure, as well as a better quality of life during the disease," said Dr Jesús Corral, president of the Andalucía's oncology society (SAOM). "We want to send a positive message of hope to people with cancer, as 55% of men and 62% of women with a tumour in Andalucía will manage to overcome it, largely due to the latest cancer treatments, such as immunotherapy or personalised targeted therapies (so-called 'precision oncology'), which are opening up possibilities that were unthinkable a few years ago. That is the great news of the day. The bad news is that the forecast until 2050 is that the number of cases will continue to increase as the population ages," he stated.
"That's why we can never invest too much in research. We should at least reach the European average - that's the minimum," said Dr Emilio Alba.
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