According to a recent study conducted by the American Cancer Society, nearly 40% of cancer cases and approximately half of all cancer-related deaths in the United States can be linked to avoidable risk factors. This translates to 713,340 cancer cases and 262,120 cancer deaths in the year 2019.

The study examined various risk factors, including cigarette smoking, excess weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, diet, and infections. Cigarette smoking emerged as the leading risk factor, contributing to almost 20% of all cancer cases and 30% of all cancer deaths.

Dr. Farhad Islami, the senior scientific director of cancer disparity research at the American Cancer Society and the lead author of the report, expressed concern over the persistently high number of lung cancer deaths due to smoking, despite reduced smoking prevalence over the decades.

The study also highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight and diet in reducing the incidence of cancer. Dr. Islami pointed out that interventions focusing on these aspects could significantly reduce the number of cancer cases and deaths, particularly considering the rising incidence of cancers associated with excess body weight.

The findings of the study were published in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Researchers utilized nationally representative data on cancer incidence, mortality, and risk factor prevalence to estimate the proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors across 30 different types of cancer.

Among the specific risk factors examined, cigarette smoking had the highest proportion of cancer cases attributed to avoidable factors, accounting for 56.0% in men and 39.9% in women. Excess body weight ranked second, contributing to 7.6% of cancer cases, followed by alcohol consumption (5.4%), UV radiation exposure (4.6%), and physical inactivity (3.1%).

The study also revealed the varying impact of these avoidable risk factors on different types of cancer. For instance, cervical cancer was found to be 100% attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors, while the proportion for ovarian cancer was 4.9%. Additionally, avoidable risk factors were responsible for a significant number of melanomas of the skin (92.2%), anal cancers (94.2%), laryngeal cancers (89.9%), lung cancers (88.2%), esophageal cancers (85.4%), and oral cavity cancers (83.7%).

This study reinforces the importance of public health initiatives aimed at reducing these avoidable risk factors through targeted education and interventions. By addressing these factors, it is hoped that a significant number of cancer cases and deaths can be prevented, leading to improved overall health outcomes for Americans.