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Rising Cancer Incidence in Women: 2 RCCA Oncologists Provide Insights – and a Prescription for Action
When the American Cancer Society (ACS) released its annual cancer statistics overview on January 16, welcome news about a continuing decline in cancer deaths was offset by a startling finding: women aged 64 years and younger now have a higher rate of cancer diagnoses than their male counterparts.1
Several factors contributed to this development, says Iuliana Shapira, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), one of the nation’s largest networks of oncology specialists. “The rate of new cancer cases – which we term ‘incidence’ in medical parlance – has been declining in the overall male population for several years, which is great news. Unfortunately, the incidence in women has been moving in the opposite direction. Women younger than 50 years long have had a higher cancer rate than men of the same age, largely due to breast cancer, but that disparity has increased significantly in the last two decades, from a 51% higher rate in 2002 to an 82% higher rate in 2022, the last year for which statistics are available.”
Dr. Shapira, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist, adds, “It is worrisome to see this trend become more pronounced, and it also is disturbing to note that this year’s ACS report found that the incidence rate in women aged 50 to 64 years now has surpassed that for men in the same age group, with a rate of 832.5 cases per 100,000 females versus 830.6 per 100,000 for males.”
Rachel Levenbach, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices in RCCA’s Moorestown, NJ office, notes that in 2021 the incidence of lung cancer in women surpassed that in men, at 15.7 cases per 100,000 vs. 15.4 cases per 100,000 for males. “Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and each year claims more lives than breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer combined, so an increase in the incidence of this disease in any group of people is particularly concerning,” she says.
Dr. Levenbach adds, “It is critical that we identify the factors driving this increased cancer incidence in women so that everyone from clinicians and researchers, policymakers and public health advocates and, of course, women themselves, can tailor their approaches accordingly. At the same time, I want to stress that while we need to understand how trends affect different groups, the goal is to drive down new diagnoses and drive up survival rates for all people, delivering better health and improved outcomes across gender, age, racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and other lines.”
Dr. Shapira echoed that comment, saying, “Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It continues to take a terrible toll throughout communities across the United States. The ACS estimates that just over 2 million new cases will be diagnosed in America this year, and that more than 618,000 people will die from the disease. As a society, we are making progress in reducing inequities in terms of access to care, but more needs to be done, and RCCA is committed to being at the forefront of those efforts to ensure that all patients receive the therapies and care they need.”
Taking a Proactive Approach
Dr. Levenbach says that while the news of an increased incidence of cancer in younger and middle-aged females is troubling, there is a great deal that women can do to protect their health.
The oncologist explains, “There are three main lines of defense. First, adopting a healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and exercise, seeking to maintain a healthy weight, not smoking, and drinking alcohol sparingly, if at all. Second, having all indicated health screenings, such as mammography, cervical cytology, colonoscopy, and – if you are a current or former smoker – lung cancer screening by means of low-dose computed tomography. Third, promptly seeing your physician for any worrisome symptoms or findings, such as a lump in the breast, uterine bleeding after menopause, or a new or enlarging skin mole. In most cases, your doctor will be able to provide you with reassurance and peace of mind after evaluating the situation, but if there is a problem, you may well save your own life by not ‘worrying and waiting.’”
Keeping the Good News in Mind
Dr. Shapira adds that the American Cancer Society’s annual report also included a great deal of favorable news, including the fact that the cancer death rate continued to drop in 2022. “Thanks to fewer people smoking, earlier detection of cancer through screening, and improved therapies, the reduction in the mortality rate translates into almost 4.5 million deaths averted since 1991. So, it’s important to bear in mind that while we never want to see a rise in the rate of cancer diagnoses, increased incidence does not necessarily mean increased deaths because of the highly effective treatments we have available today. At RCCA, we are proud to offer patients the latest diagnostics and therapies, as well as access to clinical trials, in the community setting. While analyzing the data is important, treating the patient standing in front of you is paramount. Throughout 2025, we’re going to do our part to drive the numbers in the right direction by providing highly individualized, compassionate care one patient at a time.”
Drs. Shapira and Levenbach are among 100+ medical oncologists and hematologists who practice at 26 RCCA locations across New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, and the Washington, D.C., area. RCCA’s cancer specialists see more than 30,000 new patients each year and provide care to more than 265,000 established patients, collaborating closely with those patients’ other physicians. RCCA physicians offer patients innovative therapies, including immunotherapies and targeted therapy, as well as access to approximately 300 clinical trials. In addition to serving patients who have solid tumors, blood-based cancers, and benign blood disorders, RCCA care centers also provide infusion services to people with a number of non-oncologic conditions—including multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, asthma, iron-deficiency anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis—who take intravenously-administered medications.
To learn more about RCCA, call 844-928-0089 or visit RCCA.com.
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