In Brief: Preventing Cancer by the Numbers

Approximately 86,000 cases of breast cancers and 65,000 cases of colorectal cancers in the United States can be prevented by eating healthy, being physically active and staying lean, according to new estimates by the American Institute for Cancer Research.

For the 12 most common cancers, about one third of the most common cancers are preventable through eating a healthy diet, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight.

The estimates draw on AICR/WCRFs 2009 policy report that estimated the percentage of each cancer that could be prevented through certain lifestyle changes. That percentage remains the same, but estimates on the number of cancer cases preventable change every year depending upon the incidence of a cancer.

Download flyer to see how many cases could be prevented for 12 different cancers. (PDF file)

Sources: AICR/WRCF, Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention 2009; Cancer Facts & Figures 2012, American Cancer Society.