Abstract

MOURAO, Ronald Matheus da Silva; SILVA, Jessica Manoelli Costa da; KHAYAT, Bruna Cláudia Meireles  and  ASSUMPCAO, Paulo Pimentel de. Environmental degradation, climate extremes, and cancer risk in the Amazon: a Planetary Health perspective. Rev Pan-Amaz Saude [online]. 2025, vol.16, e202501825.  Epub Nov 07, 2025. ISSN 2176-6215.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/s2176-6223202501825.

The Amazon rainforest, a critical regulator of global ecological balance, is undergoing environmental changes that may indirectly influence human health outcomes, including potential impacts on cancer risk. This review explores how climate change and pollution influence cancer rates, using epidemiological studies, ecological monitoring, and health data within a Planetary Health framework, emphasizing the interconnection between human health and ecosystems. Environmental damage in the Amazon increases cancer risks through several pathways. Forest fires emit carcinogens, elevating respiratory and neurological cancers. Deforestation boosts UV exposure, raising skin cancer risks, especially for outdoor workers. Heavy metal pollution, chiefly mercury from illegal gold mining, bioaccumulates in the food chain, heightening carcinogenic risks, with climate-induced floods worsening toxicity. Additionally, extreme weather events disrupt cancer treatment infrastructure, reducing access to care in remote areas. Vulnerable groups such as Indigenous peoples, river communities, and Afro-descendants bear the brunt of these risks, with carcinogen buildup and limited healthcare access intensifying health disparities. Addressing this crisis requires integrated strategies grounded in environmental justice and Planetary Health principles, along with policies to protect ecological and human health. The Amazonian context serves as a stark warning for other tropical regions under similar pressures, highlighting the urgency of climate action as an essential component of cancer prevention.

Keywords : Amazon; Climate Change; Environmental Justice; Indigenous Health; Health Equity; Cancer.

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