That's almost 15 new cases every hour. Approximately 50 percent of these cases will survive five years after diagnosis. Although the causes of cancer are complex, many cancers can be cured if detected and treated promptly, and many others can be prevented by simple changes in lifestyle. These lifestyle changes could add years to a person's life expectancy, according to S.V. Ariathurai, M.D., medical director of the Glendale Memorial Cancer Center. A person can have significant control in preventing cancer.
Tobacco use is a major preventable cause of cancer.
Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer and 30 percent of all cancers. Cancers of the bladder, mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, kidney, uterus, cervix and pancreas are associated with smoking cigarettes. Chewing tobaccos are also harmful, as risks for mouth and throat cancers. Eliminating tobacco use will significantly decrease your risk of cancer. The consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol, especially in combination with tobacco use, greatly increases risk of cancers of the larynx, mouth, esophagus, rectum, and possibly breast.