The cancer risk can be significantly reduced

People usually die from cardiovascular disease or cancer. Some everyday behaviors are required to reduce early cancer risk. This can prevent a relatively large number of cancers, which often occur at all because the affected person has lived unhealthily. On World Cancer Day, experts will show what to watch out for.
Every second German suffers from cancer
In recent weeks, news stories about celebrities who have succumbed to cancer have been mounting: Rock legend David Bowie, Motörhead vocalist Lemmy Kilmister or "Harry Potter" star Alan Rickman: They all died of cancer. After cardiovascular diseases, malignant tumors are the second leading cause of death in Germany. As the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) recently reported, every second person will get sick sooner or later. Around 500,000 people in Germany receive the dreaded diagnosis each year. Although it is fate in many cases, lifestyle can significantly affect cancer risk. This is what experts point out on the occasion of World Cancer Day on 4 February.

Frequent visits to the solarium increase the risk of cancer. Image:

Half of the malignant tumors could be avoided
However, there are studies in this field that come to quite different results. It is known that there are also clear differences between the different cancers. According to numerous scientists, however, up to half of the malignant tumors would be preventable if people did not smoke, abstained from alcohol, paid attention to their diet, exercised and remained slim. In a report by the news agency dpa on the subject, said the head of the Department of Epidemiology of Cancer at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, Rudolf Kaaks: "The fate of course, a role, but you can strongly influence it."

Smoking is responsible for many cancer cases
According to Kaaks smoking is responsible nationwide for about every fifth cancer case. For lung, throat, esophageal and bladder cancer, the proportion according to the experts, even higher. To make matters worse, lung cancer very often ends in death. "Smoking is the cause and certainly killer number one when it comes to cancer mortality." Johannes Bruns, Secretary General of the German Cancer Society, also warned about the consequences of tobacco use. He said that there are relatively few ways to effectively prevent cancer, not to smoke is one of them. Particularly problematic is that smokers not only endanger themselves, but also others. It is said that about 3,000 people die of cancer each year from passive smoking in Germany. Positive is a message from the DKFZ from last year: Their current tobacco atlas shows that there are fewer and fewer smokers in Germany.

Increased risk due to overweight
That overweight increases the risk of cancer is known to few people. According to estimates, at least five to six percent of all cancer cases could be attributed to it. "The list of cancers that presumably causes obesity is getting longer," said Kaaks. Not only obesity is considered as a risk factor, but also in slim people with a lot of belly fat, the danger is greater. Bruns, on the other hand, does not see such an obvious connection. Although weight can be a risk factor for cancer, no one can tell how much the risk rises above a certain weight, the expert said.

Protective effect of fiber
Malnutrition also increases cancer risk. According to Kaaks, malnutrition plays a role in up to ten percent of all cancer cases. On the other hand, there are also foods that protect against cancer. According to the DKFZ expert, the protective effect of dietary fiber and the harmful effects of red meat are best documented and most pronounced. A few months ago, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) also classified red meat as likely to be carcinogenic. In addition, the IARC, the World Health Organization (WHO) cancer research agency, has indicated that high consumption of processed meats, such as sausages, increases its risk of colorectal cancer. According to Kaaks, it has not been confirmed that vegetables and fruits greatly reduce the risk of cancer.

Physical activity against colon and breast cancer
It is also proven that physical activity reduces the risk of colon and breast cancer. "And it may well be that this also applies to many other cancers," said Kaaks. Klaus Kraywinkel, head of the Center for Cancer Registry Data at the RKI, estimates that at least one out of every five cases of cancer is due to physical inactivity, obesity and / or unhealthy diet. "Fitness has a protective effect," explained Bruns loud dpa. "But no one should believe that he is immune to cancer, just because he runs the Berlin Marathon every year." Even with a disease, sport obviously makes sense. British researchers recently reported that active exercise can help fight cancer.

Exercise, eat fruits and vegetables and avoid overweight. Image: Trueffelpix - fotolia

Even a glass of beer could be enough
Alcohol consumption also increases the risk of cancer. Four to five percent of all cancer cases are due to Kaaks. In particular, the combination of alcohol and smoking in his opinion dangerous. Accordingly, a glass of wine or beer is already enough to increase the risk for certain types of cancer easily but demonstrably. Again, Bruns has a slightly different opinion. He is convinced that with alcohol the dose makes the poison. "At some point, the threshold is reached where the body can no longer handle it and cancer develops," he explained. However, this threshold is very different from person to person.

Skin cancer due to sunburn
Dermatologists often warn: Every sunburn is added to your own skin account. According to Kaaks, probably 90 percent of all melanomas were due to sunburns. Thus, these are the major risk factor for black skin cancer. "Therefore, it is extremely important to avoid sunburns." For example, children and people with light skin and red hair need special protection. "But you do not have to go so far as to sit in the basement in the sunshine and only go out in the evening." Finally, sunlight is important for the supply of vitamin D, which is important for health and psyche. Furthermore, bacteria and viruses play a major role in some cancers. As Kaaks said in the dpa report, HPV infections are responsible for all cases of cervical cancer. However, there is a vaccine against it. Kraywinkel assumes that in Germany, five to ten percent of cancers are chronic infections. Among the best known pathogens are the hepatitis B and C virus and the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.

One of the most important measures for cancer prevention
According to dpa, Bruns said that statutory preventive medical check-ups are the most important measure for cancer prevention in addition to abstaining from smoking. For example, in a colonoscopy, cancer precursors could be detected and removed. Colorectal cancer could not arise in the first place. There are also similar effects on skin cancer screening and pap smears for the early detection of cervical cancer. Some of these investigations, however, repeatedly criticize. Dermatologists in particular have been annoyed by doubts about cancer prevention in the past and pointed to their successes. Even if cancer has already developed, it can often be detected early by some investigations. (Sb)