A new study reveals that nearly half of adult cancer deaths can be avoided through simple lifestyle changes.
The American Cancer Society reports that its recent research says that 40% of new cancer cases in adults ages 30 and up are linked to “preventable risk factors.” The leading risk factor at this time is smoking, which the study reveals is responsible for almost 1 in 5 cancer cases and roughly a third of deaths caused by the disease.
“These are things that people can practically change how they live every single day to reduce their risk of cancer,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer with the American Cancer Society.
Other risk factors linked to cancer diagnosis and deaths include “excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity,” as well as “diet and infections such as HPV.”
The study, which analyzed 18 modifiable risk factors across 30 various cancer types, showed that more than 700,000 new cancer cases and over 262,000 deaths were linked to preventable risk factors in 2019. According to Dr. Kamal, cancer spreads due to DNA damage or a fuel source. While genetics and environmental factors play a huge role in the disease, preventable risk factors are the cause of a significantly higher amount of cancer-related cases and deaths than any known factors.
“With cancer, it oftentimes feels like you have no control,” Dr. Kamal explained. “People think about bad luck or bad genetics, but people need to feel a sense of control and agency.”
The second largest cause of cancer, behind smoking, is excess body weight, which the study says is linked to 5% of new cases in men and around 11% of cases in women. Moreover, this contributing factor is responsible for more than a third of cancer deaths caused by the disease spreading in a person’s endometrium, esophagus, gallbladder, kidney, and liver.
Additionally, it has been found that the risk of certain cancers has declined for those currently on popular weight-loss and diabetes medication like Ozempic.
“Obesity is emerging, in some ways, as just as potent of a risk for people as smoking is,” said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
Not only are experts recommending that people make lifestyle changes to prevent the risk of cancer and other deadly diseases, but they are also calling on health officials and policymakers to “create environments where it’s easier for people, where the healthy choice is the easy choice.”
Plescia says “It’s never too late to make these changes,” and urges people to get serious about making lifestyle changes around preventable risk factors like smoking, obesity, and diet to avoid a cancer diagnosis or death.
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