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Almost 50 percent of cases of cancer are preventable

Survey shows low understanding of cancer risks

Karen Miller
Almost 50 percent of cases of cancer are preventable

Since 2001 the American Institute for Cancer Research has conducted surveys to assess the public awareness of lifestyle-related risks for cancer. The purpose is to determine how well consumers understand established cancer risks and are able to distinguish them from those with no scientific consensus.

AICR estimates that about one third of the most common cancers in the U.S. could be prevented if Americans exercised, weighed less and ate more healthfully. Throw not smoking and avoiding sun damage into the mix and that figure climbs to almost half of the cases of cancers that could be prevented by just changing everyday habits.

Unfortunately, the results of the survey show little understanding of these risk factors.

Respondents are more prone to blame cancer on factors out of their control, such as exposure to asbestos or the influence of genes. Yet, according to the National Institutes of Cancer, inherited genetic mutations are thought to play a role in only about 5 to 10 percent of all cancers.

One positive note is that almost all respondents (94 percent) identified tobacco as a risk factor for cancer, and 84 percent recognized the danger of excessive sun exposure. These numbers have stayed relatively stable through the years.

On the other hand, awareness of six clearly established lifestyle-related risk factors — obesity, inactivity, processed meats, alcohol, diets high in red meat and diets low in fruits and veggies — remains disturbingly low. While slightly more than half of the respondents recognized obesity as a risk factor, no more than 43 percent gave a nod to the five other factors.

Even more disturbing is that over the years of this survey, a decreasing number of people have acknowledged the impact of several lifestyle-related factors on cancer. In 2009, for example, 52 percent of the respondents cited diets low in fruits and veggies as a risk. In 2015, that number had declined to 42 percent. The awareness of only obesity has remained relatively stable at more than 50 percent.

Another finding of the study is that the participants considered such factors as food additives, genetically modified foods, and artificial sweeteners as high cancer risks. However, there is not as yet scientific evidence to support these assumptions.

February is Cancer Prevention Month. In observance, the AICR is making an all-out effort to spread the word about the impact of healthy living on the incidence of cancer.

Obesity: Raises the risk for cancers of the colon, esophagus, uterus, kidney, pancreas and breast in post-menopausal women. According to the AICR, a healthy weight is second only to not smoking as the most important factor to protect against cancer.

Inactivity: Raises the risk for colorectal cancer, post-menopausal breast cancer and uterine cancer.

Low consumption of fruits and veggies: Raises the risk for colorectal cancer and cancers of the stomach, esophagus, lung and mouth.

Alcohol: Raises the risk for colorectal cancer and cancers of the breast, esophagus, liver and mouth/pharynx/larynx. The risk of oral cancers increases when high consumption of alcohol is combined with cigarette smoking.

Diets high in red meat: Raises the risk for colorectal cancer.

Cured meats (meat preserved by salt, nitrates, nitrites or sugar): Raises the risk for colorectal cancer.