Nearly half of all cancer deaths worldwide can be attributed to certain risk factors, a large-scale study shows. These mainly include the consumption of tobacco and alcohol.
This finding is not new, but thanks to the thousands of scientists involved, it has placed the knowledge on a much broader basis. The results of the study were published Friday in the British journal The Lancet.
The key is that 44.4 percent of cancer deaths can be traced to risk factors. The largest factor is smoking at 33.9 percent, followed by alcohol at 7.4 percent. According to the research team, this suggests that preventive health measures such as anti-addiction programs should be promoted. Ultimately, this behavior can be changed or avoided altogether.
The fact that these programs are not sufficient would be confirmed by the high percentage of cases that cannot be traced back to specific risk factors. The authors of the study therefore also recommend starting with early cancer detection and effective therapies. However, in an independent commentary on the study, also published Friday, epidemiologist Diana Sarfati and her professional colleague Jason Gurney cautioned not to view the percentages as fixed. The individual countries collect their data in different ways.
situation in Austria
In Austria, 20,701 people died of cancer last year. The most common form of cancer in men is prostate cancer, while breast cancer is the most dangerous form in women. Lung cancer claims the most lives worldwide, followed by colon and liver cancer.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
