American Cancer Society Report Finds At Least Half of All Cancer Deaths Preventable

A new report from the American Cancer Society says that far from being an unavoidable fate that is hard wired into the genetic code, death from cancer is largely preventable. The report, Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Facts and Figures 2006 (CPED) says lifestyle changes and greater utilization of proven screening tests could prevent at least half of cancer deaths. CPED, published annually since 1992, is the most comprehensive annual report on factors that affect cancer risk, including behavior and early detection.

CPED 2006 details current data on modifiable risk factors and screening behaviors that affect cancer incidence and mortality and points to some hopeful trends. For instance, despite $15.15 billion in spending by the tobacco industry on domestic cigarette marketing (nearly 23 times the funding for tobacco control in 2003), per capita cigarette consumption is now at the lowest point since the start of World War II.

Still, tobacco use, as well as physical inactivity, obesity, and poor nutrition, remain major preventable causes of cancer and other diseases in the US. The report estimates that in 2006 more than 170,000 cancer deaths will be caused by tobacco use alone. In addition, scientists estimate that about one in three (188,277) of the 564,830 cancer deaths expected to occur in 2006 will be related to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, overweight, and obesity. Cancer screening also plays an important role in cancer mortality. The report says many deaths from cancers of the breast, colon, rectum, and uterine cervix could be prevented by greater use of established screening tests. While these categories overlap and cannot simply be added to determine the total number of fatal cancers that could be prevented, the report says a conservative estimate is that at least half of all cancer deaths could in principle be avoided by the application of existing cancer control practices, programs and policies.

“This year, for the first time, there was a drop in the reported number of actual cancer deaths in the U.S. This is clear evidence that our investment in research, our work to educate the public about prevention and early detection, and our efforts to advocate for legislation to win the fight against cancer are working,” said Carolyn D. Runowicz, MD, national volunteer president of the American Cancer Society. "Although we are winning the ‘war on cancer,’ there is a remarkable opportunity to save hundreds of thousands of lives and to reduce suffering from this disease with lifestyle changes and an increased used of proven screening strategies."

Highlights of Cancer Prevention & Early
Detection Facts and Figures 2006:

Obesity and Overweight

* Increasing levels of overweight and obesity among children and adults are now a major threat to America’s health. Obesity increases the risk of developing and dying from a number of cancers as well as other health problems.

* The proportion of children aged 6 to 19 who are overweight has tripled over the past three decades and it appears that this trend is continuing.

* The percentage of adults who are obese rose from 15 percent in 1976 to 31.1 percent in 1999-2002.

* Caloric intake from sweetened beverages among children and adolescents increased by 115 percent between 1977 and 2001.

* Levels of physical activity among adults and children remain generally low.

* Healthy eating patterns (adequate consumption of fruit and vegetables) by adults and children are low. In contrast, the availability and consumption of high calorie dietary options continue to be prevalent; this contributes to the increasing trends in obesity.

Tobacco

* Per capita cigarette consumption is now at the lowest point since the start of World War II.

* Progress has been made despite an increase to $15.15 billion in industry expenditures on domestic cigarette marketing (nearly 23 times the funding for tobacco control in 2003).

* Fifteen states have implemented statewide smoking bans that prohibit smoking in workplaces and/or restaurants and/or bars.

* The percentage of high school students who smoke decreased from 36 percent in 1997 to 22 percent in 2003.

* Between 1997 and 2004, the percentage of adults who smoke decreased from 27.6 percent to 23.4 percent in men and from 22.1 percent to 18.5 percent in women.

* Of the 45.4 million Americans who smoke, more than four in ten (41.1 percent) report having tried to quit for at least a day in the past year.

* Despite the fact that cessation treatments can increase the chances of quitting successfully, access to such treatments is not comprehensive. For example, although Medicaid programs cover one or more treatments for tobacco cessation in 39 states and DC, 11 states offer no such coverage.

Nutrition & Physical Activity

* Children and adolescents spend an average of about 4.5 hours a day watching some kind of electronic screen, either television or video. The presence of a television in a child’s bedroom is a strong predictor that the child will be overweight.

* Physical activity among children and adolescents has declined over the past decade; physical education class attendance among high school students decreased from 41.6% in 1991 to 28.4% in 2003. Many schools have reduced or eliminated recess and physical education classes to increase time for academic instruction and preparation for standardized testing.

* Children and adolescents have easy access to “Competitive foods” which are sold “a la carte” in cafeterias, vending machines, school stores, fundraisers, or provided as snacks in classrooms. Only 11 states have set nutritional standards for such foods.

* Nearly one in four (23.8 percent) adults reports no leisure-time physical activity.

* Fewer than one in four (23.5 percent) Americans report eating five or more servings of vegetables and fruit daily.

Early detection

* Although screening rates for cervical and breast cancer have increased over the past decade, only 55 percent of women aged 40 and older report getting a mammogram in the past year.

* Seventy-nine percent of adult women report having a Pap test in the past three years. Screening rates are lower for people who are uninsured, have low levels of education, or have immigrated to the United States within the lastfive years.

* Although there is strong evidence that colorectal cancer screening can both prevent colorectal cancer and detect it early, fewer than half of Americans for whom testing is recommended have had a recent screening test. The American Cancer Society has advocated for state legislation ensuring insurance coverage for the full range of colorectal cancer screening. To date, 18 states and the District of Columbia have passed such legislation.

* Early detection of prostate cancer with PSA testing is widely practiced and may have contributed to recent declines in mortality for this disease, although the benefit of PSA screening on mortality has not yet been documented in a randomized trial.

UV Exposure

* UV exposure is associated with more than one million cases of basal and squamous cell cancers and 62,190 cases of malignant melanoma in 2006.

* An American Cancer Society study showed that fewer than one in three youths aged 11 to 18 used any type of sun protection measures. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System found that only about one in seven (14.2 percent) of public and private high school students used sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher "most of the time" or "always" when they were outdoors in the sun for more than an hour.

* In another study, almost three-quarters (72 percent) of youth reported getting sunburned during the summer months. Of those, fewer than four in ten reported they were using sunscreen lotion of SPF-15 or higher when they got burned.

The full report can be viewed after embargo by visiting the American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org/statistics.

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by saving lives, diminishing suffering and preventing cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. Founded in 1913 and with national headquarters in Atlanta, the Society has 13 regional Divisions and local offices in 3,400 communities, involving millions of volunteers across the United States. For more information anytime, call toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.