You May Be the Key to Cancer Prevention

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%26#39;s something I don%26#39;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%26#39;s rare I see someone
truly surprised by the diagnosis. But I don%26#39;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%26#39;t yet known, Hayes said, is if proper nutrition can
prevent that increased risk. "We have an incomplete understanding of
diet%26#39;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%26#39;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.