Clipping of news on Brazilian Culture, Law and Citizenship
03/29/2012
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
Smoking, poor diet and sedentary lifestyle reflect types of the disease.
Social difference makes the poor become more exposed to risk factors
Half of all cancers could be prevented if people adopt healthier lifestyles, said U.S. scientists in a study published on Wednesday.
Smoking is responsible for one third of all cancer cases in the United States and up to three quarters of cases of lung cancer in the country could be avoided if people did not smoke, highlighted in an article published in the journal "Science Translational Medicine."
Scientific studies have shown that many other cancers can also be avoided, either with vaccines such as those available against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis, which can cause cancer of the cervix and liver, or protection sun exposure, which can cause skin cancer.
The whole society should recognize the need for these changes and take them seriously in trying to develop healthier habits, the researchers warned.
"It's time to invest in applying what we know," said the lead author of the article, Graham Colditz, an epidemiologist at the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Exercise, good eating habits and not smoking are key to avoiding almost half of the 577,000 cancer deaths in the United States planned for this year, a number exceeded only by heart disease, the report said.
But experts highlighted a number of barriers to lifestyle changes in a society in which, according to estimates, over 1.6 million diagnosed cases of cancer this year.
Among the obstacles highlighted the skepticism that cancer can be prevented and the habit of intervening too late to stop or prevent a malignant tumor already installed.
In addition, most cancer research focuses on treatment instead of prevention, and tends to have a short-term view rather than a long-term focus.
"Humans are impatient and this human characteristic in itself is an obstacle to cancer prevention," said the study.
The large differences in income between social classes high and low, which make the poor tend to be more exposed to risk factors than the rich, further complicate the picture.
"The pollution and crime, poor public transport, lack of parks for play and exercise and the lack of supermarkets with fresh foods hinder the adoption and consistent practice of a lifestyle that minimizes the risk of cancer and other diseases" the study said.
"As in other countries, the social stratification in the United States exaggerates the differences in lifestyle, such as access to health care, especially prevention and early detection services," the experts reported.
"The mammograms, colon exams, support for diet and nutrition, smoking cessation resources and mechanisms of sunscreen are simply less available to the poor," they added.
This means that any attempt to overcome the deep inequalities must be supported by policy changes, said another study author, Sarah Gehlert, School of Social Work and the School of Medicine, University of Washington.
"After working in public health for 25 years, I learned that if we want to change the health, we have to change policies," he said.
"A strict policy on tobacco is a good example. But we can not make a policy change on our own ... What is required is a critical mass of people to speak more firmly on the need for a change," added .
Source: G1 News
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This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.