Women in poorer nations face delayed cancer diagnosis: Study

Fewer than one in five women with breast or cervical cancer in low- and middle-income countries are diagnosed at an early stage, compared with two in five in wealthier nations, a major international study published in The Lancet has found. The findings underline persistent global inequalities in cancer detection and treatment that are costing lives.

The ‘VENUSCANCER’ study, conducted by the Cancer Survival Group at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), analysed data from more than 275,000 women diagnosed with breast, cervical or ovarian cancer between 2015 and 2018 across 39 countries.

Lead author Professor Claudia Allemani, a global public health expert at LSHTM, said the research offers the “largest and most detailed global population-based database” for these three common cancers in women. “Population-based cancer registries are key to assessing and monitoring the consistency of treatment with clinical guidelines and their impact on survival,” she said.

The study revealed that ovarian cancer remains the hardest to detect early, with fewer than 20 per cent of cases diagnosed at an initial stage worldwide. Often called a “silent killer”, ovarian cancer’s vague symptoms – such as abdominal pain and bloating – frequently lead to late detection.

While surgery was generally available for women diagnosed early, the research showed that treatment did not always align with international standards. Older women were also less likely to receive care consistent with clinical guidelines than younger patients.

The proportion of metastatic breast cancer – when the disease has spread to other parts of the body – was below 10 per cent in most high-income countries, but ranged from 2 per cent to 44 per cent in low- and middle-income nations.

Professor Allemani urged governments to provide stable funding for cancer registries as part of national control plans. “Evidence from this study should help to inform global policy on cancer control, such as WHO’s Global Breast Cancer Initiative and the Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative,” she said.

The research highlights the urgent need for improved early detection, access to quality care, and stronger health systems to close the survival gap for women with cancer worldwide.