'Lifestyle factor' cancers increase
Updated on 08 August 2007
There has been a steep rise in the number of cancers linked to lifestyle factors, new statistics showed.
Cancer Research UK published figures on cancers linked to alcohol, smoking, obesity and exposure to the sun.
It said rates of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, have risen by over 40% in the past decade, making it the fastest rising cancer in the UK.
Cases of mouth, womb, and kidney cancers have also shown rapid increases in the last 10 years.
Research has shown that around half of cancers could be prevented by changes to lifestyle. The charity said it was worried about the increases because some cases were potentially avoidable.
The figures, based on 1995 to 2004, showed that malignant melanoma has risen by 43%; mouth cancer by 23% and womb cancer by 21%. Kidney cancer has gone up 14% over the same period.
Cancer Research UK and the UK Association of Cancer Registries (UKACR) issued the study, which found that rates of malignant melanoma have doubled since the mid-80s in women.
Although rates are higher in women, rates have tripled in men in the same period. Too much exposure to the sun accounts for the "vast majority" of cases, according to the charity.
Sara Hiom, Cancer Research UK's director of health information, said: "We're very concerned that cases of malignant melanoma are spiralling. Most cases of this disease could be prevented if people protected themselves in the sun and took care not to burn."
The report had some good news - with rates of cervical cancer falling due to the national screening programme. Lung cancer rates are also continuing to fall, especially among men, it said.
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