Lifestyle as risk factor for cancer: Evidence from human studies

It is increasingly appreciated that the chances of developing cancer are significantly affected by the choice of our lifestyle. There are several uncontrollable risk factors which account for the majority of cancers, but we can modify our lifestyle to reduce enhanced threat of cancer. Healthy lifestyle behaviors for cancer risk reduction include a healthy diet, weight management, regular exercise, reduction in alcohol consumption and smoking cessation. In this article, we present evidences on the association between certain lifestyle characteristics and their contribution for developing breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers, using information derived from human studies. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.