SATURDAY, March 29 (HealthDay News) -- Imagine therapies that
could cut cancer deaths in half.
Well, these "breakthrough" treatments are here, according to a
recent American Cancer Society report that said as many as 50
percent of cancer deaths could be prevented with lifestyle changes,
such as quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting
screened for certain malignancies.
"Nearly half of all cancer is related to two things -- tobacco
and obesity," said Dr. Jay Brooks, chief of hematology/oncology at
Ochsner Health System in Baton Rouge, La. "That's something I don't
think people truly grasp."
Dr. Neil Hayes, a medical oncologist specializing in lung and
head and neck cancers at the University of North Carolina School of
Medicine, concurred. "Most of my patients are smokers, so it's rare
I see someone truly surprised by the diagnosis. But I don't think
they fully think through the risk associated with smoking," he
said.
Evaluating your risk of cancer, and taking steps to modify those
risk factors within your control, could save your life.
Smoking is far and away the leading cause of preventable cancer
deaths. In the United States, nearly one-third of all cancer deaths
-- more than 170,000 Americans -- each year are related to tobacco
use, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Yet, almost
one in four American adults still uses tobacco. And, about 22
percent of teens are still lighting up.
"Not smoking is the single most important thing you can do to
lower your risk of cancer," Brooks said.
Another important risk factor cited by the cancer society is the
increasing girth of the average American. Poor nutrition, lack of
exercise, and excess weight are likely at the root of as many as
188,277 cancer deaths annually, according to the ACS.
A recent
New England Journal of Medicine study that included more than
900,000 U.S. adults found that the heaviest people had the highest
risk of death -- 52 percent higher for men and 62 percent for women
-- compared to people of normal weight.
However, what isn't yet known, Hayes said, is if proper
nutrition can prevent that increased risk. "We have an incomplete
understanding of diet's impact on cancer. But a healthy lifestyle
is associated with all kinds of good things," he said.
The ACS recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and
vegetables a day, and getting at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderate
to vigorous activity at least five days a week. Walking, biking and
skating are examples of moderate activity, while jogging, fast
bicycling, weight training, aerobics and swimming are considered
vigorous activity.
Hayes said too much alcohol is also associated with some
cancers, particularly tumors of the esophagus, pharynx, and mouth.
The ACS recommends that women drink no more than one alcoholic
beverage a day and men no more than two alcoholic drinks a day.
Then there's the lifesaving issue of screenings. Some cancer
screenings, such as those for skin, breast, cervical and colon
cancers, can actually detect precancerous changes that may
eventually lead to malignancies.
For instance, with a colonoscopy a doctor can find and remove
polyps before they turn into cancer. The ACS report estimated that
as many as half of the 55,000 colon cancer deaths that occur each
year could be prevented with proper screening.
"Aside from avoiding tobacco and maintaining a healthy body
weight, cancer screening is the most important thing people can do
to reduce their chances of dying from cancer," the ACS report
stated.
More information
To learn more about cancer prevention, visit the
Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation.
