Occurrence of Breast Cancer in the Population of Peri- and Postmenopausal Women in the Aspect of Environmental Exposure to Airborne Dust Pollution

Breast cancer (C50) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women and the leading cause of their death worldwide. In 2018, the IARC estimated the number of new cancer cases worldwide at 18.1 million and 9.6 million deaths caused by them. C50 is a disease that is most often the result of the interdependence of personal genetic predispositions and hormonal conditions as well as the lifestyle maintained in the surrounding environment, which is directly or indirectly related to the disease. The main aim of the study was to analyze the correlation between the level of airborne dust pollutants and the incidence of C50 in the population of peri-and postmenopausal women living in cities with county rights in the Silesia Province, Poland, in the years 2015-2018. The significant differentiation of C50 incidence rates in peri-and postmenopausal women in 19 cities in the Silesia Province indicates the existence of environmental determinants of the carcinogenic process. Studies have shown clear differences in the number of new cases of C50 reported in the population of women over 45 years of age by the National Cancer Registry and the National Health Fund, which demonstrates the limitations of the healthcare management system.