Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    Menu
    Natural Sciences
    Health
    History & Humanities
    Space & Astronomy
    Technology
    Culture
    Resources
    Natural Sciences

    Physics

    • Matter and Energy
    • Quantum Mechanics
    • Thermodynamics

    Chemistry

    • Periodic Table
    • Applied Chemistry
    • Materials
    • Physical Chemistry

    Biology

    • Anatomy
    • Biochemistry
    • Ecology
    • Genetics
    • Microbiology
    • Plants and Fungi

    Geology and Paleontology

    • Planet Earth
    • Earth Dynamics
    • Rocks and Minerals
    • Volcanoes
    • Dinosaurs
    • Fossils

    Animals

    • Mammals
    • Birds
    • Fish
    • Reptiles
    • Amphibians
    • Invertebrates
    • Pets
    • Conservation
    • Animals Facts

    Climate and Weather

    • Climate Change
    • Weather and Atmosphere

    Geography

    Mathematics

    Health
    • Drugs
    • Diseases and Conditions
    • Human Body
    • Mind and Brain
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Wellness
    History & Humanities
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Economics
    • History
    • People
    • Sociology
    Space & Astronomy
    • The Solar System
    • The Sun
    • The Moon
    • Planets
    • Asteroids, Meteors and Comets
    • Astronomy
    • Astrophysics
    • Cosmology
    • Exoplanets and Alien Life
    • Spaceflight and Exploration
    Technology
    • Computer Science & IT
    • Engineering
    • Inventions
    • Sustainability
    • Renewable Energy
    • Green Living
    Culture
    • Culture and Society
    • Bizarre Stories
    • Lifestyle
    • Art and Music
    • Gaming
    • Books
    • Movies and Shows
    Resources
    • How To
    • Science Careers
    • Metascience
    • Fringe Science
    • Science Experiments
    • School and Study
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Health

Almost half of all US cancers can be prevented through lifestyle, study shows

Put that cigarette down, skip the beer, and eat more fruits and veggies -- your cancer risk will go down dramatically.

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
November 24, 2017
in Diseases, Health, News

Blame all you want on genetics, but the unholy trio of cigarettes, alcohol, and an unhealthy diet cause over 40 percent of all cancer cases in the US.

Cigarettes are the main risk factor for cancer, researchers found. Image credits: Sophie Riches.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) published a new paper detailing all the risk factors associated with cancer. Using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), researchers documented smoking, secondhand smoke, excessive body weight, high consumption of red meat and processed meat, low consumption of fruits and vegetables, physical inactivity, and alcohol intake as the main factors. Specifically, cigarette smoking was identified as the most dangerous factor, being associated with 19 percent of cases (including 81 percent of lung cancers) and 28.8 percent of deaths. Extra weight was a distant second, being connected to 7.8 percent of cases and 6.5 percent of deaths. Alcohol came in third, while almost all skin cancers can be traced down to severe exposure to the sun or a tanning booth.

In absolute numbers, that accounts for a huge amount of cancer cases. It’s estimated that 21.1 million Americans have been diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lives, with 1,596,486 new cases in 2014 (the last year with available data). To make things even worse, the combination of several environmental risk factors works even worse than the individual sum. Previous studies have found that environmental factors can be blamed for up to 90% of cancer cases.

However, the ACS says that this is encouraging news in a way, because it means that we can avoid a lot of cancers. All it takes is to have a healthier lifestyle. Preventive strategies can make a big difference, they explain.

“Increasing access to preventive health care and awareness about preventive measures should be part of any comprehensive strategy for broad and equitable implementation of known interventions to accelerate progress against cancer.”

The ACS also has a number of useful tips on staying healthy and avoiding cancer on their website. This includes, of course, giving up smoking and opting for a healthier diet, but it also suggests taking regular screenings, especially if you are at a high risk.

Journal Reference: Farhad Islami et al. Proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in the United States. DOI: 10.3322/caac.21440

Was this helpful?


Thanks for your feedback!

Related posts:
  1. ‘It’s not your fault’: Two-thirds of cancers are due to random genetic mutations, but lifestyle is still very important
  2. Autism is prevented in mice and rats by diuretic drug administration, study shows
  3. The ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bacteria in your gut are subjective to lifestyle, hunter-gatherer study shows
  4. New compound shows promise against hard-to-kill pancreatic and breast cancers, in mice
  5. Personalized cancer vaccine shows efficacy against multiple cancers in early tests
Tags: cancerrisk factor

ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • More
  • About Us

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Health
    • History and Humanities
    • Space & Astronomy
    • Culture
    • Technology
    • Resources
  • Reviews
  • More
    • Agriculture
    • Anthropology
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Electronics
    • Geology
    • History
    • Mathematics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Economics
    • Paleontology
    • Physics
    • Psychology
    • Robotics
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2021 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t you want to get smarter every day?

YES, sign me up!

Over 35,000 subscribers can’t be wrong. Don’t worry, we never spam. By signing up you agree to our privacy policy.

✕
ZME Science News

FREE
VIEW