People Unaware of Preventable Cancers
A survey has revealed that many people are unaware of the fact that some forms of cancer are largely preventable.
The survey, which was carried out by the British Dental Health Foundation, involved 800 people. The results showed that more than half of those surveyed did not know that cancers, such as mouth and lung cancer could be prevented in the vast majority of cases.
Most cases of cancer are not preventable, but it is believed that around 30 percent of cases could be avoided if major risk factors, including smoking and drinking, were removed. Overall, the results of the survey showed that 1 in 5 people were unsure about whether or not cancer could be prevented. Skin cancer was thought to be the most preventable form of cancer, followed by lung and mouth cancer; however, only 41% and 32% respectively thought that they could be prevented, despite the clear link with smoking.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief of the British Dental Health Foundation, said that there was a clear lack of understanding surrounding the risk factors for cancer. He added that there was an opportunity for cancer charities and health experts to increase the profile of their cancer campaigns and highlight the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. Dr Carter also added that mouth cancer is one of the most preventable forms of cancer but many people are unaware of the risk factors and therefore they may not realise that their actions could be increasing their risk of developing mouth cancer.
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