Overview of the Study

This comprehensive study spanned 204 countries, casting a wide net to encompass an array of risks ranging from smoking to workplace exposures.

Key Findings

Its findings resonate with hope, unveiling that a significant 44.4% of cancer-related deaths and 42% of cancer-related disabilities (DALYs/disability-adjusted life years) are indeed preventable.

However, between 2010 and 2019, an unsettling 20% surge in cancer-related deaths attributed to these avoidable factors came to light.

Primary Preventable Causes of Cancer

On a global scale, the primary preventable culprits emerged as follows:

• Tobacco use, contributing to 36% of cancer deaths in men and 12% in women.

• Alcohol consumption, accounting for 6.9% of cancer deaths in men and 2.3% in women.

• Elevated Body Mass Index (BMI), associated with 4.2% of cancer deaths in men and 5.2% in women. Learn more about BMI here: BMI Information.

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Additional Contributors in Lower to Middle-Income Countries

In lower to middle-income countries, unsafe sexual practices ranked among the top three contributors, causing 6.5% of cancer-related deaths in women.

Notable Omissions

Notably absent from this initiative were a few critical causes of cancer, including ultraviolet radiation exposure and infectious agents. To provide some perspective, infections were responsible for 10% of new cancers worldwide in 2018. The complex interplay between diet and cancer is a challenge to study impartially, often thwarted by inherent biases.

Proactive Steps to Prevent Cancer

The question arises: What proactive steps can be taken?

• If you or a cherished one is grappling with smoking, commence the journey towards quitting today. The path may be arduous, yet it is far from insurmountable.

• Moderating alcohol consumption stands as a pivotal measure.

• Strive to maintain a healthy BMI. While the road may be strewn with challenges, surmounting them is far from an impossibility.

• Embrace vaccination against cancer-causing viruses, with a special emphasis on Hepatitis B and the human papillomavirus.

• Prioritize safer sexual practices.

• Engage in regular screenings.

• If sunlight beckons, opt for protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.

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Acknowledgment

Acknowledgment: The Lancet Article.