Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death in the United States. Given the dramatic decline in heart disease in recent decades, cancer may soon assume the lead. All of us would like facts and information about the preventable causes of cancer so that we might improve our odds of remaining cancer-free. Unfortunately, it's not as simple as the Clinton administration would have you believe.
Epidemiology is the study of the cause and distribution of disease in a population.
Cancer epidemiology is a subdivision focused on identifying the causes of and risk factors for human malignancies. Cancer epidemiologists have confirmed that, in addition to genetic predisposition and the effects of advancing age, certain exposures and lifestyle factors may contribute to an individual's chance of developing cancer. At the top of the list of cancer causes is, of course, tobacco exposure, particularly in the form of cigarette smoking. Incredibly, over 35 percent of cancer deaths this year can be directly and causally linked with tobacco use. In addition to tobacco, cancer epidemiologists have confirmed seven other risk factors that increase the odds of developing cancer.