Breast Cancer – Canada Statistics

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women living in Canada (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It is the 2nd leading cause of death from cancer in women living in Canada. Breast cancer can also occur in men, but it is not common. 

Screening for Breast Cancer

Provincial and territorial screening programs use screening mammography, which is a procedure used to x-ray the breast. The image produced is called a mammogram. Screening mammography is a common and reliable way to find breast cancer early. 

If you are 40 to 74 years old, have a mammogram every 2 years. Talk to your healthcare provider about which screening program is best for you and at what age you should start screening if you are at higher risk.  

You may be at a higher risk if you have:

• a strong family history of breast cancer
• certain gene mutations, such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation
• a personal history of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), invasive breast cancer or atypical hyperplasia
• had radiation therapy to the breast or chest
• dense breast tissue

Breast cancer statistics | Canadian Cancer Society 

Screening for breast cancer | Canadian Cancer Society 

Lung Cancer – Canada Statistics

Lung and bronchus cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canada (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers). It is the leading cause of death from cancer for both men and women in Canada. 

Screening for Lung Cancer

Most cancers are the result of many risks. But sometimes cancer develops in people who don’t have any risks. Smoking tobacco is the main risk for lung cancer. 

If you currently smoke tobacco or used to smoke tobacco and you’re 55 to 74 years of age, you should get screened for lung cancer using a low-dose CT (computed tomography) scan. 

Organized lung cancer screening programs are available in some provinces. Projects are also underway in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador to explore starting lung cancer screening programs.

Even though a formal screening program may not be offered in your province or territory, low-dose CT scans can still be ordered by healthcare providers. Get regular checkups and talk to your healthcare provider if you have any symptoms or are worried about your health to decide what’s best for you.

How do I find a lung cancer screening program? | Canadian Cancer Society 

https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-types/lung/statistics?utm_

Screening for Colorectal Cancer

If you are 45 to 74 and not at high risk for colorectal cancer, have a stool test every 2 years.

If you are 75 or older and not at high risk for colorectal cancer, talk to your healthcare provider about whether a stool test is right for you.

There is convincing evidence that stool tests with appropriate follow-up can significantly reduce deaths from colorectal cancer.

Follow-up for a positive test (that shows blood in the stool) should include a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy.

A colonoscopy is not usually recommended as a routine screening test for people who don’t have a high risk for colorectal cancer. There isn’t enough evidence that it is more helpful than other available tests, and it has a slightly greater risk for harm.

People at high risk for colorectal cancer may need to be tested more often and at an earlier age than people with average risk. Talk to your healthcare provider about your risk.

You may be at higher risk if you have:

• a parent, sibling or child who has had colorectal cancer
• a personal history of colorectal cancer
• a personal history of non-cancerous (benign) polyps in the colon or rectum
• inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
• inherited conditions, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or Lynch syndrome (also called hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, or HNPCC)
• signs or symptoms of colorectal cancer

https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-types/colorectal/statistics?utm_

Screening for colorectal cancer | Canadian Cancer Society 

Cervical Cancer – Canada Cancer Society

The cervix is part of a woman’s reproductive system. It is the narrow lower part of the uterus (womb) and opens into the top of the vagina. It is the passageway that connects the uterus to the vagina.

Cells in the cervix sometimes change and no longer grow or behave normally. These changes may lead to non-cancerous (benign) tumours such as polyps, cysts or fibroids.

Changes to cells of the cervix can also cause precancerous conditions. This means that the abnormal cells are not yet cancer, but there is a chance that they may become cancer if they aren’t treated for a long time. 

Screening for Cervical Cancer

Anyone with a cervix can get cervical cancer. If you have a cervix and have ever had sexual contact with anyone, you should be regularly screened for cervical cancer by the time youʼre 25. Sexual contact includes sexual intercourse, genital skin-to-skin contact and oral sex.

Depending on where you live in Canada, the test used when screening for cervical cancer might be a Pap test or an HPV test. Both are good tests for finding cervical cancer early.

If an HPV test is used in your province, you will need an HPV test every 5 years. You should continue to be screened for cervical cancer until the age of 70. An HPV test done at home or with a healthcare provider are both effective for cervical screening. Choose whichever option is available and comfortable for you.

If a Pap test is used in your province, you will need a Pap test every 3 years. You should continue to be screened for cervical cancer until the age of 70. But if you are 70 and have not had 3 negative Pap test results in the last 10 years, you should continue to be screened every 3 years until this is is achieved.

If you are at higher than average risk, you may need a personal plan for testing. This may include more frequent screening for cervical cancer.

The following can increase your risk for cervical cancer:

• Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Sexual activity
• Smoking
• Giving birth many times
• Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
• History of sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Oral contraceptives
• Diethylstilbestrol (DES)

What is cervical cancer? | Canadian Cancer Society 

Screening for cervical cancer | Canadian Cancer Society 

Ovarian Cancer – Canada Cancer Society

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most common type of ovarian cancer. The number of new cases of this cancer (called the incidence) increases with age. Most epithelial ovarian cancers are found in women who have gone through menopause.  

The risks for other types of ovarian cancer are not well known and may not be the same as for epithelial ovarian cancer. But fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancer share many of the same risks as epithelial ovarian cancer. This is because these cancers start in the same type of tissue.

If you have a genetic condition that increases your risk for one of these cancers, you may need to visit your doctor more often to check for ovarian cancer. Talk to your doctor about tests that can help find ovarian cancer early, including the following:

• a pelvic exam
• transvaginal ultrasound
• cancer antigen 125 (CA125) test

Finding ovarian cancer early | Canadian Cancer Society 

Source: Women’s Brain Health Initiative Women’s Brain Health Initiative is a Canadian and U.S. charitable foundation established in 2012 dedicated to protecting the brain health of women, caregivers, and families

How to Optimise Brain Health?

Research aligns with what logic might imply: the greater the number of healthy lifestyle behaviours a person engages in, the lower the risk of developing dementia.

For example, a study conducted by Dr. Klodian Dhana and colleagues (published in 2020 in Neurology) found that participants who engaged in two to three healthy lifestyle factors had a 37% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), compared to participants who did not engage in any healthy lifestyle factors or only one healthy lifestyle factor.

For the participants who engaged in four to five healthy lifestyle factors, the risk was even lower (60%). In this study, the five lifestyle factors considered were: (1) non-smoking; (2) 150 minutes or more per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity; (3) light to moderate alcohol consumption; (4) high-quality diet; and (5) engagement in late-life cognitive activities.

Although not all cases of dementia are preventable. 

The 6 Pillars of Brain Health:

1. Exercise – Evidence continues to grow showing that physical movement (in practically any form) benefits the brain.
2. Mental Stimulation – it appears that higher levels of education stimulate the brain to build “cognitive reserve.”
3. Social Activity – social engagement is a predictor of overall well-being throughout life.
4. Nutrition – when any nutrient is in short supply, brain function is negatively affected.
5. Sleep – sleep problems are associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
6. Stress Management – chronic stress also leads to brain cell death, shrinking brain regions involved with memory and mood regulation. 

How can I get started?

“To help adults of all ages in developing healthy habits to protect and prolong their brain health, Women’s Brain Health Initiative has developed a mobile application called ‘BrainFit™,’ thanks to the generous support from the Public Health Agency of Canada, BitBakery, York University, Telus, Royal Bank of Canada, RB33, and The Citrine Foundation of Canada,” said Posluns.

BrainFit™ offers timely and convenient evidence-based information, practical application tips, and encouragement to create brain-healthy habits to get and stay brain fit.

This one-of-a-kind behaviour design app takes habit tracking to another level. It is the only app to focus on optimizing brain health, with an emphasis on the six pillars of brain health, and it is completely free to use.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brainfit-habit-tracker/id6443946531

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.bitbakery.BrainFit

Sex and Gender Differences Matter – A Closer Look at Stroke, Epilepsy and AD.

There are sex and gender differences in stroke prevalence and outcomes.

The 2025 World Stroke Organization’s scientific statement in International Journal of Stroke shows that men generally have a higher age-specific incidence of stroke across much of adulthood when compared to women.

Among younger individuals, stroke incidence is higher in women compared to men. Women tend to experience poorer functional outcomes and greater post-stroke disability compared to men. Women are less likely than men to achieve functional independence following stroke, and sex- and gender-related differences persist across stroke care processes and recovery. These findings highlight the need to consider sex- and gender-informed approaches in stroke prevention, care, and recovery.

Why Accounting for Sex & Gender Is Essential for Better Neurological Care.

Epilepsy is a serious neurologic disorder characterized by recurring and unprovoked seizures and affects people of all ages. The “2021 Global Burden of Disease Study” published in Lancet Public Health estimates that there are 51.7 million people living with epilepsy globally, equivalent to 0.7% of the population.

While there are roughly equal numbers of men and women with epilepsy, there are important sex and gender differences between men’s and women’s experiences of this condition.

For women, epilepsy management becomes more complex starting in adolescence because treatment decisions intersect with reproductive health. At any given time, a woman is in an important reproductive stage in their life, whether she is menstruating, thinking about whether to get pregnant, entering perimenopause, or in menopause, said Dr. Bui, who recommended that reproductive stage and reproductive history be discussed at every medical visit to inform care. 

For instance, seizure frequency can change across phases of the menstrual cycle (known as catamenial epilepsy). Antiseizure medications can lead to irregular periods or interact with hormonal contraception and fertility therapies. Having open communication about reproductive health can help to fine-tune epilepsy management and stabilize the disease.

Why Women Are More Likely to Have Alzheimer’s Disease

Changes in the brain that happen after menopause may make women vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease, recent research suggests.The hypothesis may explain why women are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease after age 65 compared with men, the researchers say. (About 17 percent of women in the U.S. over age 65 have Alzheimer’s, compared with 9 percent of men.)Traditionally, researchers have believed that women’s increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease was due to the fact that women live longer, said Roberta Diaz Brinton, a professor of pharmacology, biomedical engineering and neurology at the University of Southern California’s School of Pharmacy. However, women only live about four years longer than men, and Alzheimer’s develops over decades, Brinton said. 

Now, research from Brinton and colleagues suggests that, as women age, their brains experience a shift in the way they use energy. A woman’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease may, in part, be determined by how well it adapts to this energy shift, Brinton said.”Just like the woman is going through a reproductive shift,” Brinton said, “the brain is undergoing adaptations as well. 

Sources:

Why Women Are More Likely to Have Alzheimer’s Disease — Women’s Brain Health Initiative 

Epilepsy & Women — Women’s Brain Health Initiative 

Spotlight on Stroke & Women — Women’s Brain Health Initiative