Scientists: skin and breast cancer risk is linked to education level

According to a study by the Cancer Registry Foundation published by the Belgian newspaper De Standaard, the risk of developing skin or breast cancer is linked to the level of education.

The Foundation, in cooperation with specialists from the VUB research centre, collected data from almost seven million Belgians. Of these, 300,000 were diagnosed with lung, brain, throat, colorectal, breast and melanoma cancers. The types of cancer were compared with other parameters such as education level, family composition or even whether the patients owned property.

The analysis showed that a lower level of education was associated with a higher risk of lung, brain or throat cancer. "The development of cancer has many underlying causes," said Freya Verdodt of the Cancer Registry Foundation. - Part of the reason is that at-risk groups smoke more on average."

On the other hand, breast and skin cancers are more common among people with higher levels of education. "We got evidence that the risk of breast cancer is lower in women who have had several children, and at an early age," Verdodt explained. "This could be an explanation for breast cancer: women with higher levels of education tend to have fewer children, and also later in life," she added.

As for skin cancer, the researchers point to "different lifestyles in terms of travel and sun exposure behaviour", which is often found in people who can afford frequent trips to warmer climes. The study also took into account the stage at which the disease is detected. In more unstable socio-economic groups, the tumour was more likely to be detected at an advanced stage. This can be explained, among other things, by the financial ability to do screening.