Prevention is Key to Controlling Malignant Diseases
The Belgrade City Institute for Public Health announced that March is Cancer Prevention Month and that preventive activities in the field of preventing the occurrence of malignant diseases are very diverse and represent a key public health approach in the process of controlling malignant diseases.
TL;DR
- Up to 40% of malignant diseases can be avoided through lifestyle changes.
- Key lifestyle interventions include quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy food, exercising, and protecting against infections.
- Consulting a healthcare professional is important before making significant lifestyle changes.
- In 2020, approximately 10 million deaths worldwide were attributed to malignant tumors.
- The most common fatal cancers globally in 2020 were lung, colorectal, liver, stomach, and breast cancer.
- Globally, about a third of all cancer deaths are linked to five leading risk factors: high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, and tobacco and alcohol use.
- In Serbia in 2024, 41,472 people were diagnosed with cancer, and 20,314 died from the disease.
- Tobacco use is the single most significant risk factor for malignant diseases, linked to about 22% of cancer deaths worldwide.
- Alcohol consumption, excess body weight, obesity, and excessive sun exposure are also significant risk factors for various cancers.
- Infections account for about one in ten cancer cases, with Hepatitis B/C, HPV, and Helicobacter pylori being particularly significant.