Half of Global Cancer Deaths Caused by Smoking, Drinking, and Obesity... "Can Be Reduced" [Reading Science]

International Collaborative Research Team Publishes Large-Scale Statistical Study in Medical Journal 'Lancet'

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] A study has found that half of cancer deaths worldwide are caused by 'preventable risk factors' such as smoking, drinking, and obesity due to unhealthy lifestyle habits. In other words, the number of cancer patient deaths can be significantly reduced through smoking cessation, abstaining from alcohol, and weight control.

An international joint research team consisting of the German Cancer Research Center and the Canadian Public Health Agency published a research paper with these findings in the medical international journal The Lancet on the 20th of last month. According to the paper, based on data from over 200 countries worldwide in 2019, the number of people who died from cancer caused by avoidable risk factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking, and obesity reached approximately 4.5 million. This accounted for about 44% of the total global cancer deaths that year, representing the largest share among cancer causes.

Rudolf Kaaks, a researcher at the German Cancer Research Center and a member of the research team, explained, "The results of this study show how much reducing exposure to risk factors like alcohol consumption, smoking, and obesity helps in cancer prevention," adding, "Simply put, it means not smoking, managing your weight, and not drinking excessively."

The research team analyzed results from studies on over 350 diseases and injuries causing death and disability in 204 countries worldwide. They measured the risks of 34 factors affecting the occurrence of 24 types of cancer. The cancer causing the most deaths was lung, bronchus, and tracheal cancer, accounting for 36.9%. This was followed by colon and rectal cancer at 14.2%, esophageal cancer at 7.6%, cervical cancer at 6.3%, liver cancer at 5.7%, stomach cancer at 5.2%, breast cancer at 4.0%, and pancreatic cancer at 3.9%, in that order.

Specifically, half of male cancer patients and one-third of female cancer patients who died in 2019 succumbed to cancers caused by exposure to smoking, alcohol addiction, reckless dieting, unsafe sexual activity, or hazardous substances such as asbestos in the workplace. Notably, compared to 2010, the number of cancer deaths caused by these 'preventable risk factors' increased by 20%. In low-income countries, excess weight accounted for a significant proportion.

The research team stated, "These results provide important information for policymakers to decide which factors to manage to reduce cancer incidence," adding, "Policies such as imposing taxes on tobacco, banning advertising to promote smoking cessation, and treatments for alcohol addiction can be effective in reducing cancer deaths."