Risk Factors

PART 1

Many Risk Factors

• Tobacco use is the single largest causative factor for cancer, accounting for about 30% of all cancer deaths in developed countries


• Age over 65


• Overweight and obesity


• Inactive lifestyle, lack of physical exercise


• Diet high in fats, particularly saturated fats, and low in fruits, vegetables and fiber. Consumption of preserved meat, red meat, or pickled foods is a risk factor.


• Viruses, including Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B or C virus, human papillomaviruses (HPV), and herpesvirus 8


• Bacteria (eg, Helicobacter pylori)


• Parasites (eg, Schistosoma haematobium, human blood fluke)


• Environmental and industrial toxins (eg, benzene, asbestos, tetrachlorethylene, lead, formaldehyde, pesticides, and arsenic)


• Radiation, including UV radiation and ionizing radiation (nuclear, X-ray); the radioactive gas radon


• Drugs (eg, estrogen and progestin, diethylstilbestrol [DES], anabolic steroids)


• Immunologic disorders, whether acquired, inherited, or due to immunosuppressants