Cancer can be prevented February 4, ‘World Cancer Day’
About 75-80% of cancers can be attributed to external factors that we can usually modify. Therefore, there is much we can do to decrease the risk of developing the disease. In fact, many types of cancer could be prevented through healthy living habits.
On the occasion of the World Cancer Day, this February 4, experts rely on the ‘Cancer Can Prevent’ campaign, an initiative that aims to raise awareness of cancer prevention in society and report on the adoption of a series of measures that, if integrated into our daily lives, can substantially reduce the risk of developing a cancer later.
Avoiding alcohol and smoking, protecting oneself from the sun, eating a balanced diet and exercising are the cornerstones to reduce the risk of cancer.
Over 100,000 people die each year in Spain from cancer, according to data from the National Institute of Epidemiology. Of these, 65% are men and the rest are women. Tumours responsible for the largest number of deaths in the general population are lung and colorectal cancer, followed by far by pancreatic, breast and prostate cancer. In the case of men, lung cancer is the one that causes most deaths. Among women, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death.
