A Groundbreaking Study By AUC Researchers Links Rising Temperatures to Increased Women’s Cancer Mortality

Cairo, July 30, 2025 - A new study conducted at the Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology (IGHHE) at The American University in Cairo (AUC) found a significant connection between rising temperatures and death rates from women’s cancers in the Middle East. The study is led by Wafa Abu El Kheir-Mataria (MPA’18, PhD ’23), senior research fellow at IGHHE, and IGHHE Professor Sungsoo Chun, who conducted the observational study. It analyzed data from 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region over more than 20 years. These countries included Egypt, Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Palestine. The research team examined mortality data for four types of women’s cancers: breast, uterine, ovarian, and cervical, and demonstrated a clear link to increasing temperatures.

Mataria explained some of the contributing factors behind the correlation: “Heat increases exposure to pollutants and disrupts healthcare systems, delaying diagnosis and treatment. It may also alter cell structure. Women are more vulnerable due to limited access and cultural taboos around breast and cervical cancer,” she said, adding that “this research rang an alarm that we need to be aware of in health policies.” 

The findings underscore the strong need to incorporate climate change adaptation strategies into public health policies to reduce cancer prevalence and mortality in the MENA region.  Chun emphasized the importance of international climate policies, noting that the Paris Agreement is one of the clearest guidelines on how to stop rising temperatures. “Implementing its exact recommendations for each country is essential to stopping climate change. However, many nations are falling short of their commitments,” he said.

The research underlined the broader implications for vulnerable populations. “Older people, children, and, of course, women have unique weaknesses in certain periods, such as during childbirth. So, we should make clear programs or policies to support these vulnerable populations, especially through a strengthened healthcare system,” said Chun.

The researchers also emphasized that the study is a starting point. “This research is preliminary, but it’s a good start,” said Mataria. Chun added that there are so many contributing factors to the incidence of cancers. “We need to make another experimental design controlling not only for the setting but also for community levels.”

With growing global media attention to the findings of the study and the potential for additional funding, Mataria and Chun hope their work will spark more international research focused on the links between climate change, gender and health.