More than 400 people are diagnosed with preventable cancer every single day, sparking health warnings from experts.
According to the latest analysis from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), around 387,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in 2019 – 20.
Around 40% of these cases – equal to 155,000 – could have been avoided through a number of lifestyle changes.
These include:
- Eating healthy
- Being active
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Avoiding alcohol and cigarettes
- Eating no more than three portions of red meat a week.
According to data, head and neck and oesophagus cancer are among the top 15 most common cancers in 2019. For example, head and neck accounted for 13,049 cases while 9,296 people were diagnosed with oesophagus cancer.
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Reducing the risk
Dr Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu is research interpretation manager at the WCRF. She said: ‘Over the years, research has estimated that around 40% of cancers are associated with modifiable risk factors. These risk factors include smoking and limiting sun exposure.
‘Alongside this, research has shown that, by following World Cancer Research Fund’s Cancer Prevention Recommendations, individuals can reduce their cancer risk.
‘It is also important to remember that our population is ageing. So we are likely to see incidence of cancer continue to increase over the next few decades.
‘Screening plays a vital role in improving cancer outcomes – the earlier someone is diagnosed, the more likely they are to survive.’
Not all cancers are preventable. There are some factors that cannot be changed that increase the risks such as ageing and family history.
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