Aug 23, 2022 06:00:00

Nearly half of all cancer deaths worldwide are due to risk factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world after

ischemic heart disease , and the existence of ``risk factors'' that increase the risk of developing cancer has been pointed out. A research team at the University of Washington School of Medicine has announced findings that half of all cancer deaths worldwide are attributable to risk factors.

The global burden of cancer attribution to risk factors, 2010–19: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 - The Lancet
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01438-6

Smoking and other risk factors cause almost half of cancer deaths, study finds | Cancer | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/aug/18/cancer-death-risk-factors-smoking-alcohol-global-study

The study, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focused on cancer deaths in 204 countries from 2010 to 2019, covering 23 cancer types and 34 cancer deaths. We investigated the types of 'risk factors that increase the risk of developing cancer.'

As a result of the survey, 2.88 million people, 50.6% of all men who died of cancer, were caused by `` exposure to risk factors that are risk factors for cancer death ''. In the case of women, 1.58 million people, or 36.3%, have been pointed out to be exposed to risk factors. Globally, the top risk factor for both men and women was 'smoking', followed by 'alcohol' and 'high BMI'.

In addition, the most common cancer deaths due to risk factors were trachea/bronchial/lung cancer, which accounted for 36.9% of the total. For women, the 2nd place was 'cervical cancer (17.9%)', the 3rd place was 'colorectal cancer (15.8%)', and the 4th place was 'breast cancer (11%)'. In the case of men, the second place was colon / rectal cancer (13.3%), the third place was 'esophageal cancer (9.7%)', and the fourth place was 'stomach cancer (6.6%)'.

Regions with the highest cancer mortality due to risk factors are Central Europe (82 per 100,000 population), followed by East Asia (69.8 per 100,000 population), North America (66 per 100,000 population), and South America. America (64.2 per 100,000 population) and Western Europe (63.8 per 100,000 population).

Of course, not all cases and deaths can be prevented, and there are cases where cancer develops and dies even without exposure to risk factors. Still, Cancer Research UK, the world's largest independent cancer research organization, says that 'smoking and drinking less, maintaining a healthy weight, getting plenty of sun and a balanced diet can lower your risk.' says.

Christopher Murray, Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington School of Medicine, said: 'This study shows that the burden of cancer remains a significant public health challenge, and that it is increasing in scale around the world. is a major risk factor for cancer globally, and there are many other factors that contribute significantly to the development of cancer. It will help identify risk factors that increase cancer risk locally, nationally, or globally.'

'Cutting off risk factors and reducing exposure is our best hope for reducing future fears of cancer. Reducing this fear will improve one's health and well-being,' said Professor Diana Sarfati of the University of Otago. It will not only reduce the impact on the human body, but also alleviate the pressure on financial resources related to medical care.”