World Cancer Day (U.S.): Facts, Trends, and Help

Trends

• In the U.S.

  • Overall cancer death rates have declined over recent decades, reflecting improvements in prevention, early detection, and treatment. 

  • Smoking cessation efforts and better screening (e.g., for breast, colorectal, and cervical cancers) have played a major role in this decline.

• Global Context
  
  

  • Worldwide, cancer causes around 10 million deaths each year, and more than 40% of these deaths are linked to modifiable risk factors (like tobacco, diet, alcohol, and inactivity). 

  • Globally, cases and deaths are projected to increase substantially by 2050 due to population aging and exposure to risk factors.

Causes & risk factors

(What we know today)

Cancer is caused by genetic changes (mutations) that disrupt how cells grow and divide. These mutations can be inherited, acquired over time, or caused by environmental and lifestyle exposures.

Importantly: many cancers have no single cause — often it’s a combination of factors.

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🚬 Modifiable (Preventable) Risk Factors

These are the ones people and communities can act on.

1. Tobacco Use

• Leading preventable cause of cancer

• Linked to lung, throat, mouth, esophageal, bladder, kidney, pancreatic, and cervical cancers

• Responsible for ~30% of all cancer deaths in the U.S.

Message tie-in: Lives lost to something preventable — never forgotten.

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2. Diet, Physical Inactivity & Obesity

• Diets high in processed meats and low in fruits/vegetables

• Sedentary lifestyle

• Excess body weight

Linked to:

• Colorectal

• Breast (postmenopausal)

• Endometrial

• Kidney

• Liver

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3. Alcohol Consumption

• Even moderate drinking increases risk

• Linked to:

  • Breast

  • Liver

  • Esophageal

  • Colorectal

  • Head & neck cancers

Often under-recognized as a cancer risk.

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4. Ultraviolet (UV) Radiation

• Sun exposure and tanning beds

• Causes most melanomas and other skin cancers

Key point: Tanning beds are classified as carcinogenic.

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5. Infections

Certain infections can directly cause cancer:

• HPV → cervical, throat, anal cancers

• Hepatitis B & C → liver cancer

• H. pylori → stomach cancer

• HIV → increases risk for several cancers

Vaccination and treatment save lives here.

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6. Environmental & Occupational Exposures

• Asbestos

• Radon (leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers)

• Air pollution

• Industrial chemicals

These risks often intersect with social justice and equity, which is why World Cancer Day emphasizes access and protection.

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🧬 Non-Modifiable Risk Factors

Things no one chooses — and a key reason compassion and remembrance matter.

1. Age

• Risk increases significantly with age

• Most cancers are diagnosed after age 50

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2. Genetics & Family History

• Inherited mutations (e.g., BRCA1/BRCA2)

• Accounts for ~5–10% of cancers

• Still emotionally impactful because families often lose multiple loved ones

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3. Biological Sex

• Some cancers affect one sex more frequently

• Hormonal influences play a role

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4. Immune System Status

• Weakened immune systems (organ transplant, autoimmune disease, HIV)

• Reduced ability to detect and destroy abnormal cells

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📉 Big Picture: Prevention Potential

Health organizations estimate:

• ~40–45% of cancers are preventable

• Prevention includes:

  • Tobacco avoidance

  • Vaccinations

  • Screening & early detection

  • Environmental protections

This is why World Cancer Day balances hope and remembrance.