Unhealthy lifestyle linked to nearly half of US cancer deaths

A study by Islami et al was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians suggests nearly half of cancer deaths in the US are caused by smoking, poor diet and other unhealthy habits.

The investigators analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute.  They calculated how many of cancer cases and deaths can be attributed to factors that people can change.  They found that among more than 1.5 million cancers in 2014, 42% of the cancers (659,640 of 1,570,975) and 45% of deaths (265,150 of 587,521) in 2014 were traced to modifiable habits mentioned above.

Specifically smoking was associated with more cancer cases and deaths than any other single risk factor, accounting for nearly 20 percent of all cancer cases and 30 percent of all cancer deaths, followed by excess body weight which caused 7.8% of cases and 6.5%, of deaths. The data also indicated that excessive alcohol drinking causes 5.6 of cancer cases and 4 percent of deaths.  Lung cancer had the highest number of cancers (184,970 cases and 132,960 deaths), followed by colorectal cancer (76,910 cases and 28,290 deaths).

The authors suggest a vast potential for reducing cancer morbidity and mortality through lifestyle changes such as decreases in smoking; secondhand smoke; excess body weight; alcohol intake; consumption of red and processed meat an increased consumption of fruits/vegetables, dietary fiber; physical activity and decrease exposure to ultraviolet radiation; and cancer-associated infections.