Alarming Research Shows Half of US Cancer Deaths Can Be Avoided

Recent research reveals that four in ten cancer cases and half of all adult cancer deaths in the United States could be prevented. This study emphasizes the urgent need for more effective interventions and better access to preventive health care.

Every year, approximately 1.8 million new cancer cases are diagnosed in the U.S., resulting in around 600,000 deaths, as reported by the American Cancer Society. While cancer can strike anyone, various environmental and lifestyle factors significantly increase the risk of developing the disease.

The American Cancer Society’s latest study indicates that a substantial number of cancer cases could be prevented by addressing these modifiable risk factors.

The researchers analyzed nationally representative data to determine the proportion of cancer cases and deaths attributable to modifiable risk factors such as smoking, secondhand smoke, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, poor diet, physical inactivity, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and infections with cancer-causing viruses like HPV.

Their findings showed that in 2019, 713,340 cancer cases and 262,120 cancer deaths in U.S. adults over 30 were linked to these modifiable risk factors and could have been avoided.

Cigarette smoking emerged as the leading cause, accounting for 56 percent of all potentially preventable cancers in men and 39.9 percent in women.

“Despite considerable declines in smoking prevalence during the past few decades, the number of lung cancer deaths attributable to cigarette smoking in the United States is alarming,” stated Farhad Islami, senior scientific director of cancer disparity research at the cancer society and the report’s lead author.

“This finding underscores the importance of implementing comprehensive tobacco control policies in each state to promote smoking cessation, as well as heightened efforts to increase screening for early detection of lung cancer, when treatment could be more effective,” Islami added.

Excess body weight was the second major risk factor, contributing to 7.6 percent of cases, followed by alcohol consumption at 5.4 percent and UV radiation at 4.6 percent.

Certain cancers were more likely to be caused by modifiable risk factors. For instance, 100 percent of cervical cancer cases, 80 percent of melanomas, and 99 percent of lung cancers were potentially avoidable. In contrast, only 4.9 percent of ovarian cancer cases were likely influenced by these factors.

“These findings show there is a continued need to increase equitable access to preventive health care and awareness about preventive measures,” said Ahmedin Jemal, senior vice president of surveillance and health equity science at the cancer society and senior author of the study.

References:

1. American Cancer Society. “Nearly Half of US Cancer Deaths Attributed to Modifiable Risk Factors.” American Cancer Society News Release, 7 July 2024. Available from: https://pressroom.cancer.org/releases?item=1341.
2. MSN Health. “Half of US Cancer Deaths Avoidable, ‘Alarming’ Study Says.” MSN, 7 July 2024. Available from: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/half-of-us-cancer-deaths-avoidable-alarming-study-says/ar-BB1pOfyW.