Cancer Is A Lifestyle Disease! Up To 50% Of The Cancers Are Preventable

AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND CURE

Cancer is a growing menace. ICMR estimates that by 2025 there would be 15.7 lakh patients of cancer in the country. According To WHO (2020), 1 in 10 Indians will develop cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 15 will die of disease.Such is the magnitude of the disease. Cancer is the third leading cause of death amongst Non-Communicable Diseases.

The important thing to note here is that approximately 50% of the cancers would be due to factors which are modifiable. It implies that if we able to change or reduce these factors, we can prevent a sizable number of cancer cases and resulting deaths.

The major modifiable factors and resulting cancers as follows:

Factor	Cancer Caused	Percentage
Tobacco	Lung	81.7
	Laryngeal	73.8
	Esophageal	50
	Bladder	47
Alcohol	Oropharyngeal	50
	Liver	25
	Colorectal	17
	Breast	7
Obesity	Liver	33
	Breast	12
	Uterine	60
HPV infection	Cervical	100
	Anal	88

To sum up Cancers related to smoking, alcohol, HBV, and HCV infection are more common in men than women. Also, Cancers related to excess body weight, HPV infection and physical inactivity are more common in women (constituting breast, endometrial and cervical cancers)

In a study done in USA, Cigarette smoking was associated with 29% of cancer deaths. Similarly, Alcohol consumptions was linked to 4% deaths related to cancer. Similar is the case with excessive body weight and physical inactivity.

How to reduce the risk for cancer development?

• Stay away from tobacco. Tobacco in any form is equally harmful be it cigarette, bidi, gutkha or khaini. Stay away from these addicting materials.
• Stop Alcohol
• Keep your weight in healthy range.
• Be physically active: daily walk, running, exercise
• Maintain good dietary habits:

• Eat a diet rich in whole grains, vegetable, fruits, and beans
• Limit consumption of non-vegetarian food especially red meat
• Limit consumption of fast foods and high sugars
• Consume good amount of water
• Limit consumption of artificial sweeteners

• Take proper available vaccinations: Hepatitis B and HPV vaccinations
• If a family history of cancer is there, get yourself checked up by the doctors as advisable.

A good awareness needs to be created so that we can adopt a healthy lifestyle and prevent cancers with these simple measures.

REMEMBER - A CLEVER PERSON SOLVES THE PROBLEM A WISE PERSON AVOIDS IT