Most Cancers are Preventable

A new study seems to give us one of those “I knew that” kind of feelings. As bad as cancer is to those affected, often they are preventable. A new study out today shows that things like smoking, bad diet, lack of exercise, dangerous environment can all lead to cancers that are preventable

About 80 percent of all cancers are diagnosed in the elderly, and more than 80 percent of known risk factors are potentially preventable, U.S. researchers say.

Igor Akushevich of Duke University in Durham, N.C., said the primary purpose of the study was to develop an approach to estimate the contributions of measurable risk factors to cancer risk among the elderly.

“So far, we have not come to the stage where we are able to make specific recommendations regarding risk factors,” Akushevich said in a statement. “However, we can confirm several of them which are known. As expected, we see associations of cigarette smoking with lung cancer.”

The researchers said they were surprised at some of the findings. Cancer risk was not associated with alcohol consumption, as reported in other studies. A possible explanation may be that those age 65 or older tend to drink moderately.

The researchers reported that light physical activities decreased cancer risk and moderate activities decreased the risk further. However, an increased risk for death from all causes as people age may reduce the preventative effects of physical activity.

“Other interesting associations are increased risk of breast cancer for those women afraid to go to the doctor to investigate health problems and a decreased risk of breast and lung cancers for those who never lose their temper,” Akushevich said.

Light physical activities decrease risk of cancer and moderate activities decrease the risks, but the picture for vigorous exercise is contradictory, the study said.

The findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research.

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