An Analysis of the Relationship between Urbanization and the Rise in Cases of Breast Cancer and Its Risk Factors

Abstract

Introduction: Breast Cancer is the leading cause of Cancer related morbidity and mortality among women globally. This review paper showcasing panoramic analysis of the heterogeneous perspective of Breast Cancer, the prevalent risk factors which are contributing to its occurrence & urbanization impact of rising cases in younger women of metropolitan cities.  As populations shifted from rural to urban territories for several reasons, a distinct urban cancer transition has been observed.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between urbanization and the increasing incidence of breast cancer, with particular emphasis on lifestyle changes, reproductive cycles, alter female life course, environmental pollution, and exposure to chemical risk factors prevalent in urban settings.

Methods: This review followed a hybrid Integrative design combining systematic literature review, thematic analysis and Narrative synthesis; the electronic articles were checked in Google Scholar, Web of science, PubMed and Scopus database without any time restriction. The search keywords applied Breast Cancer, risk factors, cancer, women health, globalization, urbanization, mortality, urbanization impact. Inclusion criteria encompassed peer-reviewed original articles on human populations reporting urban-rural comparisons or urbanization gradients with quantitative incidence. 35 relevant abstracts from overall 94 articles published are referred to conclude this study.

Results: Urban populations exhibited a significantly higher incidence rate of breast cancer compared to non-urban populations, The risk increasing direct proportionally with the degree of urbanization. Elevated exposure to urban environmental pollutants, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarts, phthalates, bisphenols, and organo-chlorine compounds, showed a positive and statistically significant association with breast cancer risk. Multivariable models demonstrated that combined exposure to Electronic, radio transmitting devices and urban lifestyle factor like higher body mass index, physical inactivity, delayed age at first childbirth, and reduced breastfeeding duration, chronic stress, interrupted circadian health has accounted for a substantial proportion of the urban & rural disparity in breast cancer incidence.

Conclusions: The reviewed evidences the incidence rate of breast cancer is rising. It establishes a robust ink between urbanization and elevated breast cancer incidence, largely attributable to modifiable risk factors and access inequities. It further demonstrates that urban cancer transition is not just a reflection of improved screening test but the consequences of changes in women’s life course patterns, lifestyle changes, environmental exposures, socio-economical stress. The urban life style changed the behavioral pattern like delayed childbirth, reduced parity and breast feeding, sedentary lifestyles, digital dependency , chronic stress, exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals collectively increase the risk to the urban population. Importantly, the growing influence of modern urban risk like circadian disruption, air pollution, digital lifestyle patterns, and climate-related environmental change are highlighting the need to expand traditional cancer risk models. Breast cancer prevention must move beyond individual behavior change to embrace life-course, exposome-based and gender-sensitive public health strategies. Addressing these through multi-spectrum interventions could restrain the global burden in urbanizing populations graphic, hereditary; lifestyle & urbanization contribute the rising incidence of breast cancer.