If you want to reduce your risk of cancer or even prevent it all together, new research indicates it might be as easy as making some simple lifestyle changes.
A new study led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) finds four in 10 cancer cases and about one-half of all cancer deaths in U.S. adults age 30 and older could be attributed to modifiable risk factors, including cigarette smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and diet.
Cigarette smoking was by far the leading risk factor, contributing to nearly 20% of all cancer cases and 30% of all cancer deaths, according to the findings, published in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
"The number of lung cancer deaths attributable to cigarette smoking in the United States is alarming. This finding underscores the importance of implementing comprehensive tobacco control policies in each state to promote smoking cessation, as well as heightened efforts to increase screening for early detection of lung cancer, when treatment could be more effective," Dr. Farhad Islami, senior scientific director of cancer disparity research at the ACS and lead author of the report, said in a statement .
"Interventions to help maintain healthy body weight and diet can also substantially reduce the number of cancer cases and deaths in the country, especially given the increasing incidence of several cancer types associated with excess body weight, particularly in younger individuals," Islami added.
For the study, researchers analyzed data for 30 cancer types among adults who were 30 and older in 2019, that were attributable to certain behaviors and lifestyle factors including: cigarette smoking; excess body weight; alcohol consumption; consumption of red and processed meat; low consumption of fruits and vegetables, dietary fiber, and dietary calcium; physical inactivity; and ultraviolet radiation.
According to the findings, an estimated 40% (713,340 of 1,781,649) of all incident cancers and 44% (262,120 of 595,737) of all cancer deaths were attributable to the evaluated risk factors.
The study showed that cigarette smoking was the leading risk factor contributing to cancer cases and deaths overall (19.3% and 28.5%, respectively), followed by excess body weight (7.6% and 7.3%), and alcohol consumption (5.4% and 4.1%).
For 19 of 30 evaluated cancer types, more than half of the cancer cases and deaths were attributable to the lifestyle factors considered in this study.
Lung cancer had the highest number of cancer cases (201,660) and deaths (122,740) attributable to evaluated risk factors, followed by female breast cancer (83,840), skin melanoma (82,710), and colorectal cancer (78,440) for attributable cases and by colorectal (25,800), liver (14,720), and esophageal (13,600) cancer for attributable deaths, according to the study.
"These findings suggest that maintaining a healthy body weight, cessation or limiting alcohol consumption (for those who drink), consuming a healthy diet, and being physically active can substantially reduce the number of cancer cases and deaths," the study noted.
Researchers say the sheer number of cancer cases and deaths linked to certain behaviors underscores the importance of promoting a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk and potentially prevent cancer.
"These findings show there is a continued need to increase equitable access to preventive health care and awareness about preventive measures," said Dr. Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president of surveillance and health equity science at the ACS.
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