The study highlighted that lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the risk of cancer. Smoking emerged as the leading risk factor, contributing to a substantial portion of cancer cases and deaths. Other key modifiable risk factors included excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, poor diet, and infections like HPV.
Researchers analyzed 18 modifiable risk factors across 30 types of cancer, revealing that these factors were linked to over 700,000 new cancer cases and more than 262,000 deaths in 2019. The study emphasized that while genetics and environmental factors play a role in cancer development, modifiable risks account for a larger share of cases and deaths.
