A study has found that modifiable risk factors such as smoking, drinking, and lack of exercise account for the majority of cancer cases.
The findings of a comprehensive analysis of the impact of 9 modifiable risk factors on cancer occurrence were published in the CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
The lifetime risk of developing cancer is about 49%, which indicates that one in two people will get cancer during their lifetime. While cancer may seem like an inevitable end-of-your-life journey, many types of cancer can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle, which includes quitting smoking, abstaining from alcohol, exercising, and maintaining a healthy diet.
The research team conducted a comprehensive analysis of cancer statistics from various countries in 2019, investigating the impact of nine modifiable risk factors on the occurrence of different types of cancers.
The risk factors associated with cancer occurrence identified by the research team include smoking or a history of tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke, being overweight, a lack of exercise, alcohol consumption, consumption of red and processed meats, insufficient intake of dietary fiber and calcium, exposure to ultraviolet rays, and viral infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), among others.
The study found that smoking had the most significant impact on cancer occurrence, with smoking accounting for about 20% of cancer cases.
The impact of smoking on preventable cancer cases was 56% among men and 40%among women. Also, smoking affected 30% of all deaths from cancer.
After smoking, the risk factors that had the most significant impact on cancer occurrence were excessive weight, alcohol consumption, exposure to ultraviolet rays, and lack of physical activity.
The research team further investigated the impact of these risk factors on the occurrence of 30 specific types of cancer. The results showed that these modifiable risk factors were involved in more than half of the cases of 19 types of cancer.
The occurrence of cervical cancer and Kaposi’s sarcoma were both related to viral infections. Human papillomavirus (HPV) was involved in cervical cancer, while human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) was responsible for Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Moreover, 94.2% of anal cancer cases, 92.2% of some (over 80%) melanoma cases, and 88.2% of lung cancer cases were related to modifiable risk factors.
The researchers explained that reducing risk factors, such as quitting smoking, abstaining from alcohol, exercising, controlling weight, using sunscreen, and vaccinating against viral infections, can mitigate the risk of developing cancer.
Based on these results, the research concluded that modifiable risk factors are responsible for most cancer cases.
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