Quiz Time: Are Most Cancers Tied to Modifiable Risk Factors?

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Source: MedPage Today

Original: https://www.medpagetoday.com/quizzes/news-quiz/119780...

Published: Sat, 07 Feb 2026 17:00:00 -0500

The article is in the form of a quiz published on MedPage Today that tests knowledge about whether most cancers are related to modifiable risk factors.[1] According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), almost half of new cancer cases can be prevented by avoiding risk factors such as smoking, alcohol, air pollution and certain infections.[1] The study analyzed data from 185 countries for 36 types of cancer, with tobacco causing 15 percent of new cases, infections 10 percent and alcohol 3 percent.[1] Other factors include being overweight, lack of exercise, UV radiation, and exposure to substances such as asbestos.[1] In men, 45 percent of newly diagnosed cancers are preventable, in women 30 percent.[1] In men, smoking accounts for almost a quarter of cases, infections for 9 percent and alcohol for 4 percent; in women, infections by 11 percent, smoking by 6 percent, and high BMI by 3 percent.[1] Prevention includes vaccination against HPV, hepatitis B and C, as well as screening.[2]