Bas-Saint-Laurent will reach the milestone of 2,000 new cases of cancer each year at the turn of the 2030s.
The Public Health Department of the CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent unveiled, last Thursday, its regional cancer surveillance portrait for the years 2013 to 2020.
During this period, 12,548 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the region, which represents an annual average of 1,569 cases.
Furthermore, current knowledge suggests that at least 40% of new cases of cancer in adults could be avoided through changes in behavior and access to environments favorable to health for all.
Several factors involved
In order, lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers are the most common in the region.
Advancing age remains the main risk factor for developing cancer.
“The capabilities we have to screen and detect cancers are constantly improving. There is part of the explanation there, but not entirely. This is what researchers are trying to explore. In Bas-Saint-Laurent, it is aging which is the major problem,” indicates the regional director of public health, Sylvain Leduc.
Cigarettes, alcohol, lack of physical activity, certain eating behaviors, the sun and certain infections are among the risk factors for cancer.
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