Report: 40% of Cancers are Preventable

(AP)  About 40 percent of cancers could be prevented if people stopped smoking and overeating, limited their alcohol, exercised regularly and got vaccines targeting cancer-causing infections, experts say.

To mark World Cancer day on Thursday, officials at the International Union Against Cancer released a report focused on steps that governments and the public can take to avoid the disease.

According to the World Health Organization, cancer is responsible for one out of every eight deaths worldwide - more than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. WHO warned that without major changes, global cancer deaths will jump from about 7.6 million this year to 17 million by 2030.

In the report from the International Union Against Cancer, experts said about 21 percent of all cancers are due to infections like the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which causes cervical cancer, and hepatitis infections that cause stomach and liver cancer.

While the vaccines to prevent these cancers are widely available in western countries, they are almost nonexistent in the developing world. Nearly 80 percent of the world's cervical cancer deaths are in poor countries, according to the agency.

"Policymakers around the world have the opportunity and obligation to use these vaccines to save people's lives and educate their communities towards lifestyle choices and control measures that reduce their risk of cancer," Cary Adams, chief executive of the International Union Against Cancer, said in a statement.

In Western nations, experts said many of the top cancers - like those in the lungs, breasts and colon - might be avoided if people changed their lifestyle habits. To reduce their risk, the agency recommended that people stop smoking, limit their alcohol consumption, avoid too much sun, and maintain a healthy weight through diet and exercise.

[howiepolley]

If you truly want people to avoid cancer and illnesses you have to educate them about contaminated water, contaminated air, contaminated materials, contaminated food and unhealthy food. This is where most cancers and illnesses come from. Though it?s obvious that smoking can cause cancer it?s irresponsible to allow bad science or misinformation to be published. Lack of exercise will not give you cancer. Over eating is a half-truth because if eat bad food period you will have health issues. As for alcohol, a little is OK, but of course excessive drinking can kill you.

[rf35]

Actually, smoking does not "cause" cancer. It activates/catalizes a defective gene that causes the cancer. Of course, there are a host of other problems that smoking does cause, so you certainly should not smoke.

[guest173]

bacon is also a carcinogen, and probably not common knowledge either, I feel like a freak when I remind my family not to eat it, it is all so ingrained in our culture, but since my dad has skin cancer now from the carelessness of his generation, I have learned to take that all more seriously

[guest173]

fat is a carcinogen, but I don't think that is common knowledge

[Xamkr]

I wonder how much profit the health care industry would make by eliminating smoking, drinking, overeating, etc.? Your insurance premiums wouldn't go down by much.

[troutfishyman]

LOL! You can really spot the cigarette smoking, cheeseburger eating couch potatoes by their posts.

[stevador39]

I got the polio vaccine when it was infected with 'green monkey virus.' So I am not interested in 'vaccines.' As for over smoking, over eating and drinking; the government subsidizes the corporations that profit from these failings. Get more exercise? There are no government subsidies for the average U.S. citizen who wants to exercise.

[scottyusa]

Well let's see now. I have done some studies myself. For instance I have concluded that:
You lower you chances of drowning by 99% if you quit swimming.
Quit driving and riding in cars and you cut your chances of being in an accident by 99%.
Abstain from sex and you will never get pregnant (for the ladies).
Worry about the results of all these studies by all these "experts" and you have a 99% chance of living a dull, paranoid life.

[rwsmith29456]

This 'report' is worthless pap.