Almost Half Of Cancers 'Due To Lifestyle'

A major cancer research group has announced on Wednesday that changing our lifestyle can prevent 40% of all cancers.

Cancer Research UK said that more than 100,000 cancers – equivalent to one third of all those diagnosed in the UK each year – were being caused by smoking, unhealthy diets, alcohol and excess weight, alone.

The figure further increases to around 134,000 when taking into account a wider range of lifestyle and "environmental risk" factors, according to the study.

The study found that smoking was "far and away" the most important lifestyle factor causing 23% of cancers in men and 15.6% in women, representing nearly one in five cancers.

Overall the review showed that 45% of all cancers in men could be prevented – compared with 40% of all cancers in women.

The studies author, Professor Max Parkin, a Cancer Research UK epidemiologist, said: “Many people believe cancer is down to fate or ‘in the genes’ and that it is the luck of the draw whether they get it.

“Looking at all the evidence, it’s clear that around 40% of all cancers are caused by things we mostly have the power to change.

“We didn’t expect to find that eating fruit and vegetables would prove to be so important in protecting men against cancer. And among women we didn’t expect being overweight to have a greater effect than alcohol."

It is estimated that tobacco smoking, dietary factors, drinking alcohol and bodyweight account for 106,845 cancers occurring in 2010.

Sara Hiom, director of information at Cancer Research UK, said: “We know, especially during the Christmas party season, that it is hard to watch what you eat and limit alcohol and we don’t want people to feel guilty about having a drink or indulging a bit more than usual.

"But it’s very important for people to understand that long term changes to their lifestyles can really reduce their cancer risk.”

This research group said the review of cancer and lifestyle in the UK was the most "comprehensive undertaken to date" and is published in a supplement to the British Journal of Cancer.

(DW)