World Cancer Day Every year over 450,000 cancer diagnoses

On the occasion of today's World Cancer Day, the World Cancer Organization (UICC) has pointed to the enormous number of new cases each year. Every year, about 450,000 people in Germany are diagnosed with cancer. Changing lifestyles often helps prevent cancer.

04.02.2011

Cancer has the status of widespread disease in Germany. But a good third of the 450,000 cancers a year could be avoided by a healthy lifestyle, said the experts of the World Cancer Organization. Abandonment of tobacco and alcohol as well as regular physical exercise could make a significant contribution to cancer prevention.

Unhealthy lifestyle is crucial for cancer
Decisive for the high number of cancers according to UICC are primarily tobacco consumption, too much alcohol, obesity and high levels of sun exposure. According to the experts, a change in lifestyle would significantly reduce the risk of cancer in many Germans. „We have to move people to more responsibility in their own lives“, emphasized Professor Werner Hohenberger, President of the German Cancer Society as part of World Cancer Day in Berlin. A healthier lifestyle also includes regular exercise. According to Prof. Hohenberger, 30 minutes of active exercise per day would suffice to significantly reduce the risk of developing many cancers in adults. In children and adolescents a movement time of 60 minutes is recommended. „Today, we have good data showing the benefits of cancer avoidance exercise“, underscored Hohenberger the importance of physical activity for cancer prevention. According to his assessment, around 180,000 cancer diagnoses annually in this country could be avoided by a healthier lifestyle.

Cancer could be avoided: WHO recommends physical exercise
As part of the World Cancer Day, World Health Organization (WHO) health expert Ala Awan explained in Geneva that „Physical exercise (...) plays a major role in reducing the incidence of certain cancers“ plays. According to the WHO, 21 to 25 percent of the world's breast and colon cases are due to lack of exercise. The expert stressed that „Lack of physical activity (...) among the four leading risk factors for all worldwide deaths“ counts. According to WHO recommendations, around 150 minutes of exercise per week could significantly reduce the risk of breast and colorectal cancer. The WHO health expert advises, among other walks and jogging.

Early detection programs could significantly reduce cancer deaths
The UICC also points out that the number of cancer-related deaths could be reduced by one-third by participating in screening programs for cancer screening. Because with early diagnosis, the tumors are often still in a curable stage. According to the experts, around 70,000 deaths per year would be avoidable in Germany. „Despite this knowledge, the participation rates are staggering“, reported Prof. Hohenberger. So take „just every second woman and every fifth man (...) the chances of cancer screening come true“, the expert complained. At this point, according to the UICC, politicians are also called upon to make people more responsible in the interests of their own health and to promote cancer prevention.

Over 200,000 cancer deaths annually in Germany
With regard to cancer in Germany, the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden reported that in 2009, 216,128 people died of malignant tumors, of which 116,711 were men and 99,417 were women. Every fourth death (25.3 percent) in Germany was due to cancer. According to the Federal Statistical Office, life expectancy for those affected is reduced by an average of 6.7 years to 73.6 years. The figures have been largely constant for years, said the employee of Destatis, Silvia Schelo. For most cancer-related deaths (42,221 in 2009), therefore, lung cancer and bronchial cancer are still responsible in this country. In all, nearly 1.5 million people (about 680,000 women and 810,000 men) had to be treated at the hospital in 2009 for cancer.

Gender differences in cancers
There are slight gender differences. With 7.2 percent (29,133 total) of all cancer deaths, males account for the majority of deaths from malignant tumors in the lungs or bronchi. According to the Federal Statistical Office, the second most common cause of death for prostate cancer is mortality (12,217 deaths, 3 percent of total cancer deaths). In women, however, most cancer deaths are caused by breast cancer (17,066 cases, 3.8 percent), followed by lung and bronchial cancers (13,088 cases, 2.9 percent). Overall, the number of annual cancer deaths has reached alarming levels, the agency ruled. For example, with 41 percent of all deaths, cancers are the leading cause of death among 45- to 65-year-olds. With age, the risk of fatal cancer increases significantly, however, a quarter of all cancer deaths in 2009 was younger than 65 years, the Federal Statistical Office said.

Doubling of cancer cases by 2030?
The American Cancer Society has used World Cancer Day as an opportunity to illustrate the worldwide development of cancer by 2030 and to illustrate the international differences in the various cancers. Two US experts have concluded that the number of cancer cases is expected to almost double by 2030. The reasons given are demographic changes (growing, aging world population) as well as the unhealthy lifestyle. Internationally, according to the experts, the distribution of the various cancers differs above all between industrialized and developing countries. For example, in developing countries, cancer is usually caused by infections, with gastric and liver tumors among men and cervical cancer amongst women being among the most common cancers.

In the industrialized countries, the high number of lung cancers is attributed to an unhealthy lifestyle or smoking. However, lung cancers in men in the western industrialized nations are already declining, while they have increased significantly in China and some African countries in recent years, as it smokes more and more, said the experts of the American Cancer Society.

World Cancer Declaration warning the Heads of State and Government
On the occasion of the World Cancer Day, the German Cancer Aid also campaigned for the signing of the World Cancer Declaration, which will take place at the UN summit in September „Noncommunicable diseases“ to be handed to the participating Heads of State and Government. With the declaration, the experts demand that all people worldwide be able to minimize their individual cancer risk and thereby reduce the increase in cancer deaths. It is not only about measures to reduce obesity, tobacco or alcohol consumption but also comprehensive programs for the vaccination against hepatitis B and HPV (human papilloma viruses) in the context of liver cancer and cervical cancer prevention. (Fp)

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Every fourth death from cancer
Medical report: why patients go to the doctor

Image: Dieter Schütz