One in five cases of cancers could be prevented if people followed a healthier lifestyle, experts have highlighted. Simple changes such as eating a healthier diet, and taking more exercise could be the difference between life and death.

Cancer prevention guidelines focus on lifestyle, and have been shown to consistently reduce overall cases of cancer, and deaths.

Experts say following a healthy lifestyle can ward off various forms of the disease, including breast, endometrial and colorectal cancers.

Dr. Lindsay Kohler, lead author of a new study, from the University of Arizona, said: ‘Behaviors such as poor diet choices, physical inactivity, excess alcohol consumption and unhealthy body weight could account for more than 20 per cent of cancer cases, and could, therefore, be prevented with lifestyle modifications.’

She added that when tobacco exposure is considered, these modifiable issues are believed to be factors in two-thirds of US cancer deaths.

Dr Kohler and her colleagues identified studies published in the last 10 years that analyzed adherence to diet and exercise guidelines published by the American Cancer Society (ACS) or the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR).

The ACS guidelines and the WCRF/AICR guidelines vary somewhat, but both organizations recommend maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, eating plenty of plant-based foods, and limiting alcohol.

The researchers’ final review was based on 12 studies that examined the association between following either ACS or WCRF/AICR guidelines and cancer incidence and mortality.

Study participants ranged from 25 to 79 years of age at the start of the study, and were mostly Caucasian.

Standards for adherence varied in the 12 studies that comprised the review, leading to a wide range of results, but consistent patterns emerged, Dr Kohler said.

The study also showed consistent reductions in the incidence of breast cancer (19 to 60 per cent), endometrial cancer (23 to 60 per cent), and colorectal cancer (27 to 52 per cent) in both men and women.

The study showed no significant associations between adherence to guidelines and incidence of ovarian or prostate cancer, and associations with lung cancer varied depending on the study.

The review showed that adherence to cancer prevention guidelines was associated with a 10 to 45 per cent reduction in all cancer incidence and a 14 to 61 per cent reduction in all cancer mortality.

Dr Kohler and her colleagues reviewed studies that compared high adherence to the guidelines with lower adherence, and found that people who followed more of the cancer prevention recommendations derived stronger benefits.

For example, Dr Kohler said, in one study, women who followed at least five recommendations were 60 per cent less likely to develop breast cancer than those who met no recommendations.

For each additional recommendation met, the risk of breast cancer was reduced by 11 per cent.

Dr Kohler said the review indicates that physicians and public health officials should continue to emphasize cancer prevention recommendations to patients.

‘If you adhere to these guidelines, you may reduce your risk of getting or dying from cancer, though the risk is not totally eliminated,’ she said, noting that family history and environmental factors also play a role in cancer incidence and mortality.

‘However, following these recommendations will lead to healthier lives overall and, in turn, reduce the risk for many major diseases.’

Dr Kohler said that the primary limitation of this review was the variation in studies, therefore, she noted, the researchers were only able to summarize information, without establishing causality or specific reductions in cancer risk.

This study was funded by a National Cancer Institute Cancer Center support grant and is published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Written by Lizzie Parry for The Daily Mail, June 24, 2016.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml“