Lifestyle factors are linked to more than a quarter of healthy years lost to breast cancer worldwide, according to the largest study of its kind.

The research analysed data from population-based cancer registries across more than 200 countries between 1990 and 2023 to examine how lifestyle affects the global burden of breast cancer.

The study, published in Lancet Oncology, also used the data to forecast trends in breast cancer cases up to 2050.

It found high red meat consumption had the largest impact, linked to nearly 11 per cent of healthy life lost to the disease.

Tobacco use, including secondhand smoke, accounted for 8 per cent, followed by high blood sugar (6 per cent), high body mass index, or BMI, a measure of body fat based on height and weight (4 per cent), high alcohol use and low physical activity (both 2 per cent).

In total, 28 per cent of the global breast cancer burden in 2023, equivalent to 6.8m years of healthy life lost to disability, illness and early death, was linked to six potentially modifiable risk factors.

Kayleigh Bhangdia, from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and lead author of the study, said: “Breast cancer continues to take a profound toll on women’s lives and communities.

“While those in high-income countries typically benefit from screening and more timely diagnosis and comprehensive treatment strategies, the mounting burden of breast cancer is shifting to low- and lower middle-income countries where individuals often face later-stage diagnosis, more limited access to quality care and higher death rates that are threatening to eclipse progress in women’s health.”

New breast cancer cases in women are predicted to rise by about a third globally, from 2.3m in 2023 to more than 3.5m in 2050, according to the analysis by the Global Burden of Disease Study Breast Cancer Collaborators.

The findings suggest maintaining healthier lifestyles, including not smoking, doing sufficient physical activity, reducing red meat consumption and maintaining a healthy BMI, could help prevent more than a quarter of healthy years lost to illness and premature death due to breast cancer worldwide.

In the UK, about one in seven women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime.

The figures follow earlier research by Cancer Research UK which found that more than four in 10 UK cancer cases could be prevented through lifestyle changes.

The analysis also found that in 2023, three times as many new breast cancer cases were diagnosed in women aged 55 or older compared with women aged 20 to 54, with 161 cases per 100,000 women compared with 50.

However, rates of new cases among women aged 20 to 54 have risen by nearly a third, or 29 per cent, since 1990, while rates among older women have not changed substantially.

Claire Rowney, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now, said: “This new global study is a stark reminder that breast cancer is a disease that continues to take and rip apart far too many lives, not just here but around the world.

“We’re determined to realise our bold ambition that by 2050, everyone with breast cancer will live and live well, and we’re accelerating progress through building global collaborations with researchers and funders, as together we can go further, faster to ensure that every woman, no matter where she lives, can access early diagnosis, effective treatment and the support she needs.”

Sophie Brooks, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, added: “These figures are a sad reminder of the heavy toll breast cancer continues to take on women around the world.

“Prevention remains a key way to reduce rates, with a significant number of cases globally linked to preventable factors like smoking, overweight and obesity, and alcohol.”

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track status to a new drug combination for BRCA-mutated advanced breast cancer.

The designation covers ART6043, developed by Artios, used with the PARP inhibitor Lynparza, also known as olaparib.

It applies to adults with germline BRCA-mutated, HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have not previously been treated with a PARP inhibitor.

BRCA mutations are inherited genetic changes that increase the risk of breast cancer.

PARP inhibitors block cancer cells from repairing damaged DNA, but tumours with BRCA mutations often develop resistance when these drugs are used alone.

ART6043 is designed to address this resistance. The oral treatment inhibits DNA polymerase theta, or Polθ, an enzyme found in cancer cells but largely absent in healthy tissue.

By blocking Polθ, the drug targets a backup DNA repair process known as microhomology-mediated end joining, which cancer cells rely on when other repair pathways are disrupted.

The aim is to limit the tumour’s ability to repair itself and extend the effectiveness of PARP inhibitors.

The fast track decision was supported by data from an ongoing first-in-human phase 1/2a trial evaluating ART6043 in combination with Lynparza in patients with advanced solid tumours carrying mutations in DNA damage response pathways, including BRCA-mutated breast cancer.

Findings presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2025 showed what the company described as expected pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic activity, as well as encouraging clinical signals.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the US. Patients with BRCA mutations who develop resistance to PARP inhibitors often have limited treatment options.

The FDA fast track programme is intended to speed up the development and review of investigational medicines that may address serious or life-threatening conditions with unmet medical need.

The designation allows Artios to engage more frequently and earlier with the FDA to discuss the development pathway for ART6043.

Under the programme, the drug candidate may be eligible for priority review and accelerated approval if it meets the relevant clinical criteria.

HER2-negative breast cancer does not overproduce the HER2 protein, which drives tumour growth in some patients.

Locally advanced cancer has spread to nearby tissue but not distant parts of the body, while metastatic cancer has spread to other organs.

An electronic nose using machine learning can detect early signs of ovarian cancer in blood samples with 97 per cent accuracy, according to researchers.

The device uses 32 sensors that react to volatile substances released from blood plasma.

Different cancers emit different substances, meaning each effectively has a distinct chemical pattern.

Rather than searching for a single biomarker, the system analyses a wide range of signals using machine-learning models trained to identify ovarian cancer.

The models are trained on known samples from a biobank, a collection of biological specimens used for research.

The approach was developed by researchers in Sweden.

Donatella Puglisi, associate professor at Linköping University, said: “We’re trying to mimic the mammalian sense of smell artificially.

“We’ve now developed an algorithm that can distinguish ovarian cancer from endometrial cancer and healthy control groups, using data from an electronic nose.

“More and more people are being diagnosed with cancer, especially young adults, and this is alarming.

“If screening were more accessible, both in terms of cost and location, it would be possible to improve early diagnosis.

“Our approach could facilitate the adoption of new screening protocols and the development of new diagnostic methods, improving survival rates, quality of life, and overall clinical outcomes.”

Electronic nose technology has existed for around 60 years.

The sensors used in the prototype are relatively simple models already available on the market, but recent advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning have enabled the technology to be used in new ways.

Current blood-based cancer screening typically involves searching for biomarkers specific to the suspected cancer.

However, researchers say these tests are often slow and lack accuracy.

Jens Eriksson, associate professor at Linköping University and chief technology officer at VOC Diagnostics AB, the company developing the electronic nose, said: “Unlike in breast cancer, there is currently no reliable ovarian cancer screening method.

“These tests are often based on a single biomarker and lack the precision required to detect the disease at an early stage.

“Our method is therefore far ahead not only in terms of accuracy but also in the ability to identify early disease.

“It’s a simple test that takes 10 minutes and gives a clear result. Our method can test many people at a low cost and is much more accurate than what’s on the market today.

“This study is a pilot, but we hope it will be used as part of cancer screening within three years. Right now, we’ve focused on detecting cancer, but the applications are endless.

Ovarian cancer often causes vague symptoms similar to those of more common conditions, meaning it is frequently diagnosed at a late stage when survival outcomes are poor.

In 2022, about 325,000 new cases and more than 200,000 deaths were reported globally, with estimates suggesting these figures will rise sharply by 2050.