In a recent study published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians , a team of researchers analyzed nationally representative cancer incidence, risk factor prevalence, and mortality data to determine the number and proportion of various types of cancer cases and cancer-related mortality that could be attributed to modifiable risk factors. Study: Proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in the United States, 2019 . Image Credit: africa_pink / Shutterstock Despite substantial resources and efforts being invested in cancer research and an improved understanding of the mechanisms and pathology of cancer, the economic and health burden of cancer remains significant.
A 2018 study by the same team of researchers examined the proportion of cancer cases and mortality that were attributable to modifiable risk factors, intending to improve cancer awareness and advocate for changes to control or prevent various types of cancer. These modifiable risk factors include dietary and exercise-related factors, smoking behavior, alcohol consumption, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, as well as infections with various pathogens such as human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B and C viruses, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), Helicobacter pylori , and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). However, new data has emerged since 2018 on the magnitude and nature of the associations between many of these modifiable risk factors and the risk of cancer.