About Half Of Cancer Deaths Are Preventable

Summary: A new study confirms that most cancers are preventable through lifestyle choices. About half of all cancer deaths are preventable. Tobacco smoking, alcohol, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, high ultraviolet exposure, and low intake of fruits and vegetables are some of the significant causes of cancer. 

 One of the misconceptions among people is that cancer is not preventable or it is inevitable. That is far from true. Of course, people understand that cancer rates are increasing globally. However, they wrongly conclude that this increase is primarily due to toxins, environmental pollution, and similar factors.

What people do not realize is that every second cancer case that occurs in people older than 30 years of age is due to preventable causes. It occurs due to specific lifestyle choices. Many studies prove this, and this article will discuss one such authoritative study.

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Before we look more at the data, it is vital to understand that all non-infectious diseases are interrelated and lifestyle choices significantly increase their risk. So, healthy lifestyle choices like not smoking, not abusing illicit substances, and managing body weight can help prevent tens of ailments, including lowering cancer risk. So, weight loss or diabetes prevention is also about lowering your cancer risk.

Science has identified the factors that considerably increase cancer risk. Tobacco smoking, even second-hand smoke, significantly increases cancer risk. Similarly, obesity is one of the biggest cancer risks. Other factors that increase cancer risk are alcohol use and high red meat consumption.

When it comes to dietary factors, low consumption of fruits and veggies, diet deficient in dietary fiber, and foods low in calcium and high in salt are among the risk factors.

Certain kinds of behaviors may also increase cancer risk. Thus, high ultraviolet exposure is associated with greater melanoma risk. Similarly, certain viral infections like HPV are well known to increase the risk of specific kinds of cancers.

The new study has found that, when combined, these factors are responsible for about 40% of new cancers. So, these numbers are massive. It means that almost every other cancer case is preventable.

Just take the example of lung cancer. Its incidence kept increasing with tobacco smoking. Thus, lung cancer rates in the US were rising for most of the 20th century, and this rise was especially high between 1975 and 1984. However, with greater awareness and declining tobacco smoking rates, lung cancer rates also started declining. 

Lifestyle changes explain why the pattern of prevalence of different cancer types keeps changing. Although now far fewer people are smoking in the US than 50 years ago, then obesity rates have climbed. It means an increased risk of colon cancer, endometrial cancer, gall bladder cancer, liver cancer, and more.

When people think of weight loss, they understand that it is about reducing the risk of diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. However, it is vital to understand that it is also about reducing your cancer risk.

It is regretful that most people do not realize that every second cancer case is due to wrong lifestyle choices. It means that cancer is also significantly preventable, quite like diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease. 

So, if you want to reduce your cancer risk, consult your doctor. Learn to reduce stress, make dietary changes, start exercising, focus on quality sleep, reduce body weight, and treat insulin resistance. Just keep in mind that all body systems are interrelated, and by reducing the risk of one health condition, you are reducing the risk of many health conditions. Keep in mind that many cancer risk factors are modifiable, and take steps today to reduce their risk. Alternatively, consult your healthcare provider.

Source:

Islami, F., Marlow, E. C., Thomson, B., McCullough, M. L., Rumgay, H., Gapstur, S. M., Patel, A. V., Soerjomataram, I., & Jemal, A. (n.d.). Proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in the United States, 2019. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, n/a(n/a). https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21858