This document discusses ways to prevent cancer through lifestyle choices and public health programs. It reports that about 1/3 of cancers can be prevented by not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, eating a plant-based diet, limiting alcohol intake, and participating in screening programs. The document also examines global perceptions of cancer risks and finds misconceptions about causes. For example, many believe stress or viruses cause cancer despite little evidence. The document argues journalists should help raise awareness of known risk factors and prevent fatalistic views of cancer.

1. Preventing Cancer: How do you
protect yourself from 200
diseases?
Kathy Redmond, Editor, Cancer
World Magazine

2. What are cancers?

3. Cancer types
• Common
– Lung, prostate, breast and colorectal
• Rare
– About a quarter of all cancers
• Solid tumours
• Blood and lymphatic system tumours

4. Breast cancer subtypes based on hormone receptor and HER-2 expression levels and Ki-67
staining.Abbreviations: ER, estrogen receptor; HER-2, human epidermal growth factor
receptor 2; PR, progesterone receptor.
Hortobagyi G N The Oncologist 2012;17:577-584
©2012 by AlphaMed Press

6. One third of EU citizens are
smokers

7. Tobacco use in the EU 2009
http://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/docs/ebs332_en.pdf

8. http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/cancer_resource_center/downloads/Second_Expert_Report_full.pdf

10. About one third of all cancers
can be prevented

12. European Code Against Cancer
1) Do not smoke; if you smoke, stop doing so. If you fail to stop, do not smoke in the
presence of non-smokers.
2) Avoid Obesity.
3) Undertake some brisk, physical activity every day.
4) Increase your daily intake and variety of vegetables and fruits: eat at least five
servings daily. Limit your intake of foods containing fats from animal sources.
5) If you drink alcohol, whether beer, wine or spirits, moderate your consumption to
two drinks per day if you are a man or one drink per day if you are a woman.
6) Care must be taken to avoid excessive sun exposure. It is specifically important to
protect children and adolescents. For individuals who have a tendency to burn in
the sun, active protective measures must be taken throughout life.
7) Apply strictly regulations aimed at preventing any exposure to known cancercausing substances. Follow all health and safety instructions on substances which
may cause cancer. Follow advice of national radiation protection offices.
http://www.cancercode.eu
/

13. European Code Against Cancer
There are Public Health programmes which could prevent cancers
developing or increase the probability that a cancer may be cured:
1)Women from 25 years of age should participate in cervical screening. This
should be within programmes with quality control procedures in compliance
with “European Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Cervical Screening”.
2)Women from 50 years of age should participate in breast screening. This
should be within programmes with quality control procedures in compliance
with “European Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Mammography
Screening”.
3)Men and women from 50 years of age should participate in colorectal
screening. This should be within programmes with built-in quality assurance
procedures.
4)Participate in vaccination programmes against hepatitis B virus infection.
http://www.cancercode.eu/

14. Food, nutrition and physical activity
and the prevention of cancer
•
•
•
•
•
Be as lean as possible - maintain body weight within normal range
Be physically active every day
Limit consumption of energy-dense foods and sugary drinks
Eat mostly foods of plant origin
Limit consumption of:
– Red meat
– Processed meats
– Alcohol
– salt
• Avoid mouldy cereals or pulses
• Avoid dietary supplements for cancer prevention
• Breastfeed children for at least six months
http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/cancer_resource_center/downloads/Second_Expert_Report_full.pdf

15. Cancer
chemoprevention

16. Challenges faced in
preventing cancer

17. Global survey on knowledge and
beliefs about cancer
• Survey carried out by UICC in 2007
• Findings were aggregated according to three World
Bank income categories
• The total sample size for the preliminary report was
29,925
– 5,521in low-income countries
– 15,746 in middle-income countries
– 8,658 in high-income countries
http://old.uicc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16481&Itemid=544

18. Perceived risk of smoking
Perceived cancer risk of smoking cigarettes
100
90
80
70
94
90
69
60
50
40
30
20
10
23
8
8
Low
Middle
2
4
2
0
High
World Bank income category
Yes, increases cancer risk
No risk
Can't Say

19. Perceived risk of being overweight
Perceived cancer risk of being overweight
100
90
80
70
63
60
50
42
44
50
41
40
31
30
20
14
9
10
6
0
Low
Middle
High
World Bank income category
Yes, increases cancer risk
No risk
Can't Say

20. Perceived risk of drinking alcohol
Perceived cancer risk of drinking alcohol
100
90
80
71
70
60
56
51
50
42
40
29
30
20
26
15
10
8
3
0
Low
Middle
High
World Bank income category
Yes, increases cancer risk
No risk
Can't Say

21. Perceived risk of viruses
Perceived cancer risk from infection with viruses or
bacteria
100
90
80
70
70
57
60
50
40
30
40
39
32
22
23
20
11
7
10
0
Low
Middle
High
World Bank income category
Yes, increases cancer risk
No risk
Can't Say

22. Perceived risk of stress
Perceived cancer risk from being stressed
100
90
80
70
59
60
50
40
40
57
44
35
30
30
20
16
11
7
10
0
Low
Middle
High
World Bank income category
Yes, increases cancer risk
No risk
Can't Say

23. Beliefs: causes of cancer
Lord et al. (2012) Clinical Oncology. 24, 4-12

24. Beliefs: causes of cancer by ethnic
group
Column 1: British White; Column 2: British South Asian
Lord et al. (2012) Clinical Oncology. 24, 4-12

25. Cancer Stigma
• Lance Armstrong Foundation conducted a survey on cancer
stigma in 2008
– Japan, Mexico, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, China, France, India, Italy,
South Africa
– About 500 people polled in each country
• Survey showed that
– Stigma continues to persist across countries, cultures and
communities
– Caused by misinformation, lack of awareness, deeply engrained
cultural myths and fear
– Opportunities to capitalise on shifting perceptions
– Mass media are key resources for facilitating more positive attitudes
http://www.livestrong.org/pdfs/3-0/LSGlobalResearchReport

26. Perceptions about cancer
http://www.livestrong.org/pdfs/3-0/LSGlobalResearchReport

27. Journalists have a role to play in
raising awareness about
modifiable cancer risks and
counteracting fatalistic cancer
attitudes

28. Effects of newspaper coverage on public
knowledge about modifiable cancer risks
Health Communication (2008) 23:4, 380-390

29. Effects of newspaper coverage on public
knowledge about modifiable cancer risks
Health Communication (2008) 23:4, 380-390

30. DISCUSSION
• Why is cancer prevention not covered well
by the media?
• What can be done to address this?
• How can the mass media help counteract
myths and misconceptions about cancer?