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Although it is not yet possible to identify the reasons by which some people contract cancer, some elements around us and treats of our lifestyles are recognized as influent in increasing our risk to develop the disease.
What increases this possibility is called "risk factor", whereas "protective factors" reduce the probability of contracting cancer. Only some of the risk factors can be avoided: for instance, quitting to smoke is possible and changing inherited genes is not. Prevention consists of reducing the probability that cancer develops, by working to avoid risk factors and increase those protective factors that can be controlled.
Although many risk factors can be avoided, it is important to understand that this is no guarantee against the disease and, likewise, many people can live unaffected although exposed to one specific risk factor.
Oncological Primary Prevention should be divided in the following 4 areas:
1. Reduction of individual exposure to endogenous or exogenous factors that are considered or are supposed to be carcinogens.
2. Identification of new endogenous or exogenous factors.
3. Study of those risk factors' mechanism.
4. Chemo-prevention.
As to the first area, in the last 50 years, several epidemiological studies, based on the estimate that 70-80% of cancer cases are induced by exogenous factors, identified many carcinogens and pointed out relevant preventive actions to stop or control them.
However, economical, social, geographical, cultural and political differences amongst and within European countries have changed the countries' attitude towards carcinogens. The above changes can be recognized in both direct and indirect prevention (one coincides with individual choices for one's own health, and the latter is based on governments' laws and incentives).
Main risk factors can be listed following the criteria below:
Lifestyle
- active and passive smoking
- Alcohol
- Physical exercise
- Diet
- BMI
Environmental risk
- Environmental pollution
- Electromagnetic pollution
- Radon
Occupational risk
- Asbestos
- Aflatoxine
- Benzene
- Aromatic amines
Infections
- Human papilloma virus
- Hepatitis B and C
- HIV
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