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Cancer rates in men are expected to skyrocket in the next few decades, a new study reveals.
Cancer rates in men are projected to jump by 84 percent from 2022 to 2050, while cancer deaths are expected to increase by 93.2 percent over the same time frame, according to the peer-reviewed study.
The findings were published on Monday in the American Cancer Society’s research journal, CANCER.
This gender disparity is in part because men are exposed more often to risk factors, such as smoking and drinking alcohol, according to the study. Men are also exposed to more cancer-causing workplace hazards, such as harmful chemicals, radiation and asbestos, than women, according to the study.
Men who are 65, have a rare form of cancer, or live in a country “with a low Human Development Index” are also more likely to die, according to the study.
The researchers also noted that there are more early-detection options for cancers that impact women, like cervical cancer.
“There are no comparable programs for male-specific cancers, such as prostate or testicular cancer,” according to the study.
The authors made several recommendations to ensure cancer deaths among men decrease moving forward.
Their recommendations include promoting early-detection programs for testicular and prostate cancers, implementing universal healthcare and passing stronger regulations to protect employees from workplace hazards.
These steps “are crucial to reducing cancer disparities and ensuring cancer equity among men globally,” according to the study.
“These efforts would ultimately reduce disparities in cancer burden and ensure equity in cancer prevention and care for men across the globe,” the researchers wrote.
