Morocco’s Alarming Reality: A Deep Dive into Breast Cancer and its Impact on Women’s Lives

2023-11-01 19:21:06

Breast cancer remains an alarming reality in Morocco, affecting thousands of women each year. Despite progress in the field of health, this disease remains a scourge that causes not only suffering, but also human losses.

In Morocco, breast cancer is unfortunately very widespread, constituting more than a fifth of all diagnosed cancer cases (men and women), or 22.6%. In women, it represents nearly 40% of cancers detected. “Every day, 34 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed, totaling 12,000 cases per year.

Unfortunately, 11 women succumb to this disease daily, which represents around 4,000 deaths annually,” reveals Tayeb Hamdi, doctor, researcher in health policies and systems. It is also the most common type of cancer worldwide, with 2.26 million cases and 685,000 deaths in 2020. Breast cancer took first place, relegating lung cancer to second position for the first time. “Fortunately, the prognosis for breast cancer is favorable when detected early, with less complex treatments and almost normal survival.

However, in the event of late diagnosis, the treatments are heavier and survival is much less optimistic,” warns Hamdi. He adds that it is therefore crucial to perform a mammogram every 2 to 3 years from the age of 50 to detect breast cancer early. This allows for better care and increases the chances of recovery, or even complete remission. In addition, it is recommended, once more according to the doctor, to teach women from the age of 25 to perform a monthly self-palpation of the breasts following their period. This makes it possible to detect any abnormal changes and quickly initiate a medical consultation and early diagnosis.

For women with risk factors, these examinations are recommended before the age of 50. “It is estimated that one in ten women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, and in general one in 25 women will die from it. It is important to note that half of cases of breast cancer occur in women who do not have any specific risk factors, with the exception of sex and age,” he says.

Risk factors
The main risk factors for breast cancer include female gender (99% of cases diagnosed), age (nearly 80% of cases develop following age 50), personal or family history of breast cancer, ovary or endometrium, lifestyle risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, being overweight and lack of physical activity, as well as genetic predispositions to breast cancer. Regarding cancer statistics in Morocco, among women, the most common types are breast cancer (38.1%), thyroid (11.3%), cervical (8 .1%), colorectum (6.9%) and ovary (4%). In men, the most common cancers are those of the lung (25.6%), prostate (13.6%), colorectum (8.9%), bladder (5.4%) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (4.5%).

Sami Nemli / ECO Inspirations

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