New research suggests that lifestyle changes could prevent nearly half of all cancer deaths. It's estimated that 40% of all cancer cases and 44% of all cancer deaths in U.S. adults age 30 and older can be attributed to certain lifestyle risk factors. Experts discuss the findings and how you can tweak your habits to lower your cancer risk.
As reports of rising cancer rates among young people become more widespread in recent years, it's natural to wonder what you can do to lower your risk. But what if you could make small changes to your daily life that could make a big difference? New research suggests that lifestyle changes could prevent nearly half of all cancer deaths.
A study published by the American Cancer Society in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians looked at 30 types of cancer and 18 risk factors that can be modified by lifestyle, including smoking, weight, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, sun exposure, and missing cancer screenings. (Smoking is the leading risk factor for cancer, accounting for approximately 20% of cancer cases and 30% of cancer deaths.)
The study looked at data from 2019 and found that these lifestyle factors were associated with more than 700,000 new cancer cases and more than 262,000 deaths in adults aged 30 and older. This means that approximately 40% of all cancer cases and 44% of all cancer deaths in U.S. adults aged 30 and older are estimated to be attributable to the risk factors studied.
It's crucial to understand that cancer develops when there's damage to cellular DNA, says Nelly Auker-Lazo, MD, a hematologist and oncologist at the Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation. The known causes of DNA damage are primarily genetic and environmental, she says. “When we talk about modifiable risk factors, we're referring to environmental factors, including carcinogenic chemicals, that lead to DNA damage and cancer,” she explains. Some of these factors were mentioned in the study. Dr. Auker-Lazo says these could be:
Smoking and different tobacco use: The risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the duration of smoking in one's lifetime. According to Dr. Awkar-Lazo, studies have found that more than 50 carcinogenic chemicals are linked to cancer. Diet: A diet plan high in red and processed meats has been linked to carcinogenesis (cancer formation) and DNA damage due to chemicals added to processed meats as preservatives, says Dr. Awkar-Lazo. “Additionally, red meat is rich in heme iron, which promotes cancer development,” he says. Meanwhile, diets high in vegetables and fruits, such as the Mediterranean diet, have been found to prevent the formation of cancer. Alcohol intake: According to Dr. Awkar-Lazo, studies have found a link between excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages and certain types of cancer, especially of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colorectum, and female breast. Ethanol and acetaldehyde, the main products of alcohol intake, have been found to be carcinogenic, she adds. Physical inactivity: Dr. Aukar-Lazo says there is strong evidence that physical activity reduces the risk of bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal and stomach cancers. However, there is limited information on how the relationship between physical activity and cancer varies by cancer type. Obesity: Research has shown that excess body fat increases the risk of multiple types of cancer in women, including colon, esophageal, kidney, pancreatic, postmenopausal breast and uterine cancers, says Dr. Aukar-Lazo. “It is not yet clear how obesity increases cancer risk, but it is thought that inflammation caused by visceral fat leads to carcinogenesis,” she explains. UV light: Excessive exposure to UV light directly targets cellular DNA, causing DNA damage, says Dr. Aukar-Lazo. “UV light from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer, but excessive UV light from tanning beds is also harmful,” she notes. The risk is highest in people with lighter skin.
Conclusion
The good news is that many of these risk factors are reversible over time, says Neil Iyengar, MD, a breast oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering. The first step in lowering your cancer risk, he notes, is to eliminate or minimize exposure to risk factors like smoking, alcohol, obesity, unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. “Smoking cessation has the biggest impact on lowering your cancer risk, because smoking remains the cause of the majority of preventable cancers. Being overweight is the second largest risk factor after smoking,” he explains.
The good news is that many of the interventions to reach and maintain a healthy weight also address several other risk factors, including diet, exercise and alcohol, Dr. Iyengar points out.
“Eating a plant-based diet, in which at least 80% of the foods you eat are minimally processed and consist of whole, plant-based foods, can help lower your risk of cancer by improving diet quality, reducing weight, increasing your fiber intake, and increasing your intake of other nutrients that may have cancer-protective properties,” he advises.
The study suggests that about 40 percent of cancers in the United States could be prevented by improving a few modifiable risk factors, Iyengar said. But he noted the findings also suggest the remaining 60 percent of cancers may not be preventable.
“It's important to understand that these risk factors are just a few of many that are still being studied,” adds Dr. Aukar-Lazo. “It's also important to understand that maintaining a healthy weight, eliminating or limiting alcohol intake, quitting smoking, and adopting a healthy diet, along with engaging in physical activity, avoiding the sun, and wearing sunscreen, can significantly reduce the number of cancer cases,” she points out.
It's also important to talk with your health care provider about when to start age-appropriate cancer screenings, which can help detect cancer at an earlier stage, Dr. Auker-Lazo says, which is essential for more effective treatment and improved survival rates.
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