Janice R. Andrews
This week, the American Cancer Society released a ground-breaking study that showed adopting healthy lifestyle choices might save nearly 40% of new cancer diagnoses and 44% of cancer deaths among persons 30 years of age and older. The report calls attention to obesity, smoking, and heavy alcohol use as the main avoidable causes of cancer and urges public health officials to encourage healthy lifestyles in order to lower cancer chances.
Major Results of the Research
The study explores the causes of cancer that may be avoided, highlighting the need of dietary and lifestyle modifications. It also emphasizes how vaccinations against hepatitis B and HPV can lower the risk of illnesses that lead to cancer. Important actions and circumstances linked to an increased risk of cancer include:
- Inhaling secondhand smoke and smoking
- Drinking alcohol
Body weight excess
- Dietary factors: low intake of fruits, vegetables, dietary fiber, and calcium, and high intake of red and processed meats
- Infections: HIV, human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B, and Kaposi sarcoma herpes virus
Professional Perspectives
Experts who were not engaged in the study concur that it is an important reminder for politicians and public health organizations to promote healthy behaviors. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Ernest Hawk, vice president and director of cancer prevention and population sciences, stressed the significance of the study’s conclusions.
“This is a big opportunity for our country – really every country – to reduce cancer incidence and mortality by being more proactive in prioritizing prevention at both personal and societal levels,” Hawk said. He emphasized that the intention is to inform and educate people about the advantages of making healthy decisions rather than to stigmatize those who participate in high-risk activities. Hawk went on, “It’s hard to change one’s lifestyle immediately or consistently over time,” underscoring the necessity of encouraging laws and resources to help people make better decisions.
Depiction of Statistics
According to the report, theoretically modifiable risk factors accounted for 40% of the almost 1.8 million cancer cases among persons 30 years of age and older in 2019. It looked at thirty different cancer forms, omitting skin malignancies that were not melanoma. The following is a breakdown of the reasons of cancer instances that can be prevented:
Smoking cigarettes: 19.3% of instances
- Overweight: 7.6% of instances
Drinking alcohol: 5.4% of instances
- UV radiation: 4.6% of instances
Effect on Particular Cancer Types
It was discovered that the most instances of lung cancer associated with avoidable risk factors were those of males (104,410 cases in men and 97,250 in women). There were 50,570 incidences of cutaneous melanoma and 44,310 cases of colorectal cancer that were avoidable.
The study’s lead author, Farad Islami, is the senior scientific director of cancer disparity research at the American Cancer Society. “Despite considerable declines in smoking prevalence during the past few decades, the number of lung cancer deaths attributable to cigarette smoking in the United States is alarming,” Islami said. Islami stressed the value of early lung cancer detection and urged states to enact stricter tobacco control laws.
The Value of Immunization
The study also emphasizes how important vaccinations are in preventing cancer. The main objectives of immunization campaigns are Hepatitis B, which can cause liver cancer, and HPV, which is linked to a number of malignancies, including genital, cervical, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers.
Gazing Ahead
The American Cancer Society predicted earlier this year that there will be more than 2 million new cases of cancer in the United States. Despite this alarming statistic, the survey also pointed out that during the last three decades, there has been a considerable decrease in the number of cancer deaths due to decreased smoking rates, earlier identification, and better therapies.
The results of this new study highlight the necessity of ongoing public health initiatives to promote preventive care and healthy lives. People and society may significantly lower the cancer burden by embracing better lifestyle choices and supporting pertinent legislation.
