Recent discoveries indicate that making specific lifestyle changes could potentially prevent over 30 types of cancer. Research conducted by the American Cancer Society has shed light on common habits that are linked to 40% of cancer cases and approximately half of all cancer-related deaths in the United States.
These identified common factors include smoking, obesity, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, poor diet, and infections. According to a study published in the CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, these factors may have a more significant impact on cancer development than previously believed.
The research team analysed American health data to estimate the proportion and number of cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors. The study focused on 30 types of cancer, excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, and considered exposure to UV radiation and infection with various viruses as contributing factors.
The results revealed that cigarette smoking accounted for nearly 20% of all cancer cases and 30% of all cancer deaths in the United States. This highlights the importance of implementing comprehensive tobacco control policies to promote smoking cessation and increased efforts to enhance lung cancer screening.
Other significant contributors to cancer risk included excess body weight, alcohol consumption, UV radiation exposure, and physical inactivity. The proportion of cases caused by potentially modifiable risk factors ranged from 100% for cervical cancer and Kaposi sarcoma to 4.9% for ovarian cancer.
These findings underscore the ongoing need to improve equitable access to preventive healthcare and raise awareness about preventive measures. Effective vaccines for hepatitis B virus and HPV, which can cause several types of cancer, are available. These vaccines, when administered at the recommended time, can significantly reduce the risk of chronic infection and consequent cancers linked to these viruses.
In conclusion, the study offers valuable insights into the influence of lifestyle habits on cancer risk. The identification of common factors contributing to cancer development underscores the necessity for increased efforts in promoting healthy lifestyle choices, preventive measures, and access to healthcare to reduce the burden of cancer cases and deaths in the United States.