A major new study has revealed that more than a quarter of healthy years lost to breast cancer worldwide are attributable to modifiable lifestyle factors, with high red meat consumption and smoking identified as the leading contributors. The research, published in The Lancet Oncology, is the largest analysis of its kind, drawing on data from population-based cancer registries across over 200 countries from 1990 to 2023.
The study, conducted by the Global Burden of Disease Study Breast Cancer Collaborators, found that in 2023, 28% of the global breast cancer burden—equivalent to 6.8 million years of healthy life lost to disability, illness, and premature death—was linked to six potentially modifiable risk factors. High red meat consumption had the greatest impact, accounting for nearly 11% of healthy life lost, followed by tobacco use including secondhand smoke (8%), high blood sugar (6%), high body mass index (4%), and high alcohol use and low physical activity (both 2%).
The analysis also projects a sharp rise in breast cancer cases globally, from 2.3 million in 2023 to over 3.5 million by 2050—a 33% increase. In the UK, around one in seven women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. The study notes that new cases in women aged 20–54 have risen by 29% since 1990, while rates in older women have remained relatively stable.
Kayleigh Bhangdia, lead author from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, highlighted the shifting burden to lower-income countries: “While those in high-income countries typically benefit from screening and more timely diagnosis, the mounting burden of breast cancer is shifting to low- and lower middle-income countries where individuals often face later-stage diagnosis and higher death rates.”
Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, called the findings a “stark reminder” of the disease’s toll, while Sophie Brooks of Cancer Research UK emphasised prevention: “A significant number of cases globally are linked to preventable factors like smoking, overweight and obesity, and alcohol.” The study suggests that maintaining a healthy lifestyle—including not smoking, regular physical activity, reducing red meat consumption, and a healthy BMI—could prevent more than a quarter of the healthy years lost to breast cancer.
