Every year 1.8 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. and roughly 600,000 people die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Now, a new study shows nearly half of cancer-related deaths could be avoided.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) looked at national data to figure out how many cancer cases and deaths could be linked to potentially modifiable risk factors. Those factors include things like smoking and secondhand smoke, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, poor diet, physical inactivity, UV radiation and infection with viruses known to cause cancer like HPV.
ACS found about 40% of new cancer cases among adults 30 and older could be attributed to at least one of these risk factors. Additionally, nearly half (44%) of all deaths resulted from a risk factor.
Smoking cigarettes was the biggest risk factor. That habit contributed to nearly 1 in 5 cases of cancer and a third of cancer-related deaths. Excess body weight was the second biggest culprit, contributing to 7.6% of cancer cases and 7.3% of deaths.
Preventable cancers include lung cancer in addition to skin melanomas, and cervical, anus, colorectal and bladder cancers.
The study also found certain types of cancer are more likely to be caused by modifiable risk factors. Ninety-nine percent of lung cancer cases were linked to smoking or secondhand smoke. Additionally, 100% of cervical cancer cases were linked to viral infection. HPV, which can be avoided by getting a vaccine, was the most commonly detected virus.
