Let’s start with the data, which are nevertheless encouraging. In 2024, in Italy, they are estimated 390,100 new cancer diagnoses: 214,500 in men and 175,600 in women. It’s basically numbers stable compared to the previous two years (they were 391,700 in 2022 and 395,900 in 2023).
Not only that. Cancer mortality is decreasing among young adults aged 20-49. Over 15 years (2006-2021), it decreased by 21.4% in women and 28% in men. Above all, thanks to increasingly effective therapies, the number of people living after a cancer diagnosis is increasing. in 2024 there will be around 3.7 million.
More or less one in two people who receive this diagnosis today are destined to recover and have the same life expectancy as those who have not developed cancer.
The most frequently diagnosed cancer in Italy in 2024 is breast cancer (53,686 cases), followed by colorectal (48,706), lung (44,831), prostate (40.192) e bladder (31,016).
Let’s move on to the less good news. Because there is no shortage of them though areas for improvementin particular for screenings that allow early diagnosis for three forms of cancer. In 2023, compared to previous years, there is a greater coverage of the population, reaching 49% for mammographic screening, 47% for cervical cancer screening and 32% for colorectal screening. Unfortunately, however, they are still there important regional differences, with gaps to fill.
The volume outlines this reality “Cancer numbers in Italy 2024”, presented today at a press conference in Rome, is the official publication, now in its fourteenth edition, which describes the aspects relating to the diagnosis and therapy of neoplasms thanks to the work of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM), AIRTUM (Italian Association Tumor Registries), AIOM Foundation, National Screening Observatory (ONS), PASSI (Progress of Health Authorities for Health in Italy), PASSI d’Argento and the Italian Society of Anatomy Pathology and Diagnostic Cytology (SIAPeC-IAP).
How the evaluation is born
“To estimate the cancer numbers in 2024 in Italy, data were collected from 35 Cancer Registries covering a population of over 44 million people, i.e. 80% of citizens – underlines Fabrizio Stracci, President of AIRTUM. This year, in our country, new diagnoses of malignant tumors will not exceed 390,100 cases. This is an estimate in agreement with what was reported in 2022 and 2023, based on projections at European level. The beginning of one should be highlighted potential trend reversal in the absolute number of new cases, i.e. a decrease of approximately 5% compared to the latest AIRTUM projection of 2020 and the estimates of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. A role, albeit partial, in the potential decline in new cancer diagnoses must also be attributed to the reduction of approximately 2.5% of the Italian population between 2017 and 2024, from 60,484,000 inhabitants to 58,990,000″.
On the other hand, data from the Cancer Registries indicate a constant increase in prevalence, i.e. the number of people living after diagnosis, around 1.5% per year in the last decade (1.6% in women and 1.3% in men).
The commitment of specialists
The starting point, if we’re talking about preventionit makes you think. 24% of adults smoke, 33% are in overweight and 10% is obese18% consume alcohol in quantities that pose a risk to health. And it registers a boom in sedentary peopleincreased from 23% in 2008 to 28% in 2023. All this obviously leads to considering the future with great attention.
“Even if the estimate of the number of new cancer cases is slightly lower than those of 2022 and 2023 – explains Francesco Perrone, AIOM President -, one cannot be particularly optimistic in a more general framework of still high prevalence of behavioral and environmental risk factorswhich significantly contribute to causing cancer. This is a matter in which it is necessary to invest more and at multiple levels, including, for example, the reforms that AIOM is promoting to make the fight against smoking more effective. In the book we went ‘beyond the numbers’, exploiting the oncology point of view to enrich the reflection on phenomena of absolute social relevance, such as cancer treatment in migrants, in prisons and in war zones. These are contexts in which the numbers tend to be imprecise or completely unknown and in which cancer prevention and treatment do not necessarily represent the top priority, but rather a lens through which to better focus on how the right to health can be trampled upon. or not sufficiently guaranteed”.
The importance of adhering to screening
“Identifying a tumor or its precursors in the initial phase allows us to intervene promptly, with more effective, less invasive treatments and with lower risks of complications, guaranteeing greater survival and quality of life – underlines Paola Mantellini, Director of the National Screening Observatory, body coordinated by the Institute for the Study, Prevention and Oncology Network of the Tuscany Region -. The data shows i progressive improvements of screening programsboth in terms of invitation and coverage capacity. In 2023, almost 16 million people, i.e. over 90% of the Italian population of the target age for mammographic, colorectal and cervical screening have been regularly invited. However, differences in membership must be reducedwhich still remain significant at a territorial level. As regards mammography, coverage reached 62% in the North, 51% in the Center and 31% in the South. Cervical screening shows a level of coverage equal to 57% in the North, 45% in the Center and in the South. 35% in the South. The percentages of adherence to colorectal screening are lower: 45% in the North, 32% in the Center and 15% in the South”.
Furthermore, thanks to screening, the trajectory of the disease also changes. “Today there are almost 3.7 million (3,661,499) citizens, 6.2% of the entire population – explains Diego Serraino, Director of SOC Oncological Epidemiology and Tumor Registry of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Oncology Reference Centre, IRCCS, Aviano -. AND half of the people who get cancer in 2024 are destined to recover. As regards gynecological cancers, the probability of recovery for women affected, in the last decade, by cancer of the body of the uterus was 69%, for the cervix 58%, for the ovary 32% . The role of early diagnosis in increasing the chances of definitively overcoming the disease is evident. In breast cancer it is equal to 73% overall, but goes from 99% in stage I to 81% in stage II and drops to 36% in stage III and IV. Considering all stages, those diagnosed with colorectal cancer have a 56% chance of being cured, from 92% if the disease is diagnosed in an early stage to 71% in stage II.”
More attention to prevention
Prevention also comes from the scorrect lifestyles. “The smoking habit is more frequent among men, among the youngest, among residents in the Center-South and is strongly associated with social disadvantage, involving much more people with economic difficulties or low education – concludes Maria Masocco, Manager Scientific of the PASSI and PASSI D’Argento surveillance systems, coordinated by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità -. Overweight and obesity are also an important oncological risk factor as they are involved, for example, in the onset of tumors of the esophagus, liver, pancreas, gallbladder and biliary tract, endometrium and kidney. Obesity is slightly more frequent among men, increases with age and particularly affects people with social disadvantages. Historically more frequent in the South, today the geographical gradient has disappeared. There sedentary lifestyle has increased steadily, going from 23% in 2008 to 28% in 2023. The increase involved all groups of the population, both sexes equally and all age groups, but it was faster among the youngest and among people with greater economic difficulties. The increase in physical inactivity has mainly involved the South and the Centre, widening the geographical gradient between North and South”.
One case in ten concerns young adults
Of the nearly 10 million cancer deaths each year worldwide, 10.5% occur in young adults, that is, people aged 20 to 49. In Europe, where the populations are older, cancer deaths in young adults represent 4.3% of all cancer deaths recorded in 2022. The volume contains an analysis of the mortality of 20-49 year olds in Italy from 2006 to 2021 , which highlighted a sharp general decline in deaths from cancer in both sexes.
“In 15 years, 786 lives were saved among women and 939 among men in this age group compared to the expected number based on 2006 rates – reports Massimo Di Maio, President-elect of AIOM. The important decrease in mortality from lung cancer, of 46.4% among women and 35.5% among men under 50, takes on particular positive significance in both sexes. These are extremely encouraging data, if we consider that this neoplasm represents the first cause of oncological death in young adult men and the second in women after breast cancer. This observation adds to the progress achieved, thanks to recent therapeutic innovations, in survival after diagnosis of lung cancer. Furthermore, the data relating to the lifestyles of Italians underline the need to strengthen efforts for primary prevention in people of all agesthrough the fight against cigarette smoking, otherwise there is a risk of a reversal of the trend in the coming years. On the other hand, we must keep in mind the alarm bell that, in this age group, rings for colorectal and ovarian cancers, where mortality has remained stable for years”.
