According to the latest statistics from the World Health Organization, cancer was responsible for the deaths of nearly 10 million people globally in 2020.1 That's one out of every six deaths worldwide. Though these statistics are daunting, cancer doesn't have to be a death sentence.
As the adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. You can start today by reducing or eliminating known cancer risk factors and making healthy lifestyle changes. Technology is also on your side. Several advanced screening tests and diagnostic tools can detect cancer at the earliest stages, leading to better treatment outcomes and improved survival rates.
What causes cancer?
Before we delve into early cancer detection, let us first look at some of the main risk factors. While many believe genetics play a prominent role in cancer incidence, research suggests otherwise. In a landmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine,2 data collected from 44,788 sets of twins revealed that, “Except for certain types of familial cancer… the contribution of hereditary factors to the development of cancer is thought to be relatively minor.” Instead, the analysis showed that lifestyle choices and environmental factors were much better indicators of cancer risk.
According to the medical research company American Medical Research, LLC, toxins cause 70–75 percent of all cancers,
