It helps prevent 40% of cancer cases.
Previous studies have indicated that various modifiable risk factors, such as smoking, alcohol use, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle, can elevate a person’s risk of developing cancer.
A recent study by the American Cancer Society, published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, has found that four out of ten cancer diagnoses and nearly half of all cancer deaths in adults over 30 in the United States can be attributed to these modifiable risk factors. The study utilized 2019 data from several nationally representative sources on cancer incidence, mortality, and risk factor prevalence.
The researchers examined the following risk factors:
- Current and former cigarette smoking
- Exposure to secondhand smoke
- Excess body weight
- Physical inactivity
- Alcohol use
- Consumption of red and processed meats
- Low intake of fruits, vegetables, dietary fiber, and calcium
- Ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure
- Infections from viruses like human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis C
Dr. Farhad Islami, senior scientific director of cancer disparity research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the study, emphasized the importance of this information for setting priorities in cancer prevention and control. He noted that raising public awareness about these risk factors could lead to a reduction in exposure, such as through smoking cessation, maintaining a healthy weight and diet, and getting vaccinated against HPV. The analysis revealed that cigarette smoking was responsible for the largest percentage of cancer cases, accounting for nearly 20%. Smoking was linked to 56% of all preventable cancers in men and about 40% in women, and it was associated with 30% of all cancer deaths.
Dr. Islami highlighted the progress made in reducing smoking rates over the past few decades but stressed the need to continue and enhance efforts to further decrease smoking rates. He pointed out that not all states and socioeconomic groups have benefited equally from these efforts, underscoring the need for comprehensive tobacco control policies and interventions to promote smoking cessation across all demographics. Besides smoking, other leading modifiable risk factors for cancer include excess body weight, alcohol consumption, UV radiation exposure, and physical inactivity.
Dr. Islami emphasized the potential to significantly reduce the cancer burden through the broad and equitable implementation of preventive measures. For UV radiation, he recommended limiting sun exposure, seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and regularly using broad-spectrum UVA and UVB-blocking sunscreens. Community-level interventions, such as providing sufficient shading in public spaces, are also necessary.
Furthermore, Islami called for more research to implement known interventions broadly, especially concerning excess body weight, unhealthy diets, alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity. He stressed the importance of tailored and mutually reinforcing interventions to mitigate these risk factors, particularly in historically marginalized populations disproportionately affected by these factors.
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