As temperatures in the Middle East and North Africa have risen over the past two decades, so have women's cancer deaths, according to a new study in a region that is highly vulnerable to extreme heat.
The preliminary findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, add to a growing body of research on the impacts of temperature and climate change on health.
Scientists looked at cases of breast, ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer in women in 17 countries and found what they called a small, but significant, increase in cases and deaths.
The correlation, the authors say, arises because climate change increases exposure to cancer risk through increased ultraviolet radiation and air pollutants.
Ozone depletion could mean more exposure to UV radiation, researchers say. Higher temperatures could also lead to droughts and wildfires, which can cause pollution.
"This may increase exposure to a wide range of agents associated with cancer risk," said Irina Stepanov, a professor of public health and a member of the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center.
