Cancer prevention

Over the last 30 years, the number of cancer deaths has doubled, surpassed only by the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease. Cancer deaths now exceed 550,000 per year. This dramatic increase can be attributed to the increase in the size and average age of the population and to the rapid rise in the number of deaths from lung cancer.
Cancer is a preventable disease. Perhaps two-thirds of cancer deaths in the world could be prevented by lifestyle changes. Two-thirds of all cancers can be linked to tobacco use, diet, obesity, and lack of exercise, all of which can be modified through action at both the individual and the societal level.
To prevent cancer, health professionals can and should take an active role in teaching and counseling to raise public awareness about cancer risks and preventive measures. For example, people working in hazardous occupations could be counseled about the risks and can be encouraged to use safety equipment. Practicing physicians can help patients to eliminate carcinogenic exposures, especially through cessation of smoking. Other areas of intervention include counseling about alcohol use, physical activity, and dietary changes. Practitioners also can be a valuable source of information about cancer prevention clinical trials and can provide support for patients interested in participating in these critical investigations.
To a large extent, cancer is preventable. Most of the burden of prevention lies in an individual’s lifestyle. Societal change is important in supporting and motivating personal lifestyle modifications. The largest benefits to be seen in cancer prevention are in the areas of tobacco cessation and dietary change. Control of obesity and a heightened level of physical activity also can contribute to decreased cancer incidence. Environmental causes, although perceived publicly as a major contributor to human ills, have thus far not been shown to be responsible for very many cancers.The health care professional plays a critical role in cancer prevention and control, whether through successfully counseling patients about lifestyle changes or by encouraging at-risk persons to enter chemoprevention trials. Even when cancer prevention is not possible, prevention of cancer death by promoting cancer screening is an important duty of every health care professional.