Study Evaluates Global Burden Of Cancer Based On Preventable Risk Factors

Healthcare Study Evaluates Global Burden Of Cancer Based On Preventable Risk Factors Nina Shapiro Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Dispelling health myths, fads, exaggerations and misconceptions. New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories.

Got it! Aug 22, 2022, 01:10am EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Women smoking cigarettes getty Most of us are aware of what’s pretty good for our health, pretty bad for our health, or really good and really bad. We know that a so-called “healthy” diet, a good night’s sleep, and wearing sunscreen can ward off some evil woes. We also know that much of our health outcomes is based on genetics, as well as many other factors not in our control.

But what of the habits we can control? Is there a way to measure the burden of unhealthful habits as they impact the risk of cancer-related illness and death on a global scale? This past week, The Lancet published findings reported by the “Global Burden of Disease Study 2019,” elucidating which preventable risks impact both cancer-related illness and cancer-related death throughout the world. The study group, which collected data from multiple publicly-accessible vital registry databases globally, analyzed both cancer-related deaths (YLL, or ‘years of life lost’) as well as cancer-related disease burden (DALY, or ‘disability-adjusted life years’) over the period 2010-2019. Doctor checking x-ray with patient getty Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide; at least that was the case prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, when this research was carried out.

Overall, risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, obesity, and occupational environmental hazards accounted for over 4 million cancer-related deaths and over 100 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALY’s). This translates to over 44% of all cancer deaths and 42% of all DALY’s being related to potentially remediable risks. The study authors sought to better identify where the mitigation measures could be better instituted globally, thereby better addressing means of reducing these risk factors whenever possible.

In regions with lower socio-demographic indices (SDI), smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use were the three factors associated with the highest DALY’s. In regions with higher SDI, smoking, alcohol use, and obesity were associated with the highest DALY’s. Cancers related to unsafe sex were typically secondary to sexually transmitted infections such as HPV (human papillomavirus) leading to cervical, throat, and ano-rectal cancers, and Hepatitis B and C leading to liver cancers.

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Before the FDA Clinical or Safety Reviews Have Been Made Public Homeless person with alcohol getty Smoking remains the highest risk factor for both cancer burden during life as well as the highest risk factor for cancer deaths. This is across all socio-demographic regions, and for all sexes. Cancers associated with smoking most commonly include lung, bronchial, and other cancers of the aerodigestive tract such as throat and esophageal.

Looking at all of the attributable risk factors, cancer deaths increased by 20% over the 2010-2019 study period, and DALY’s increased by 17%. The type of risk factor with the most notable increase on cancer burden was described as “metabolic risks,” or more specifically blood glucose (blood sugar levels). This particular metabolic factor relates to sharp rises in type 2, formerly known as adult-onset, diabetes.

This risk factor saw a rise of 34% over the nine-year study period. Woman with diabetes checking her blood sugar getty While many of the cancer-associated risk factors could be considered related to lifestyle habits, others such as air pollutants and occupational exposures were nearly as high on the list of extrinsic risk factors as those related to personal behaviors. And as risk factors for cancer burden, be they intrinsic or extrinsic, continue to rise worldwide, targeted efforts need to be better instituted in order to reduce both morbidity and mortality of cancer on a global scale.

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