A new study from the American Cancer Society reveals that smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer. It found that half of cancer deaths and 40% of new cancer cases in U.S. adults over 30 are linked to preventable factors, with smoking being the worst.
Smoking doesn’t just cause lung cancer; it’s also linked to 15 other types of cancer, including mouth, breast, liver, stomach, kidney, pancreas, bowel, ovary, bladder, and cervix cancers, as well as some leukemias.
Dr. Tracy Crane from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center explains that cigarette smoke contains over 5,000 chemicals, including 60 known to cause cancer. These chemicals damage DNA, leading to cancer.
Dr. Edward Creagan, a cancer specialist from the Mayo Clinic, says that smoking causes DNA cells to mutate, making it a major risk for various cancers.
Both experts warn that vaping is also harmful, with early research showing it can cause cancer due to toxic compounds.
Even if you’ve smoked for decades, quitting is worth it. Dr. Creagan notes that the risk of lung cancer drops by 50% after quitting, even for long-term smokers. The lungs can heal over time through cell turnover, improving health significantly after quitting.
Aside from quitting smoking or vaping, other healthy habits can lower cancer risk. The study recommends maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol and red meat, eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fiber-rich foods, getting enough calcium, staying active, and protecting yourself from UV rays.
This information is from a Parade article by Emily Laurence.
https://parade.com/health/number-one-cause-of-cancer-according-to-july-2024-study