Scientists have named the main causes of cancer

Experts studied data on cancer incidence in the UK for 15 years and identified the main causes that give rise to malignant tumors.

Every year in Britain are diagnosed 130,000 cases of cancer. In this case, according to the report the British Centre for Research on Cancer Cancer Research UK, among the leading risk factors for smoking: it causes the appearance of a cancerous tumor in 23% of male patients and 15.6% of female patients.

The next most common cause of cancer published in the journal British Journal of Cancer research is the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet. This problem is typical mainly for men, while women in second place - are overweight.

The authors emphasize that it is the result of the large-scale study to date, the causes of cancer.

"Many people tend to believe that cancer is associated with a bad heredity, or there is no apparent reason, by the will of an evil fate. In this approach, the emergence of the disease seems to matter of bad luck," - says the lead researcher, Professor Max Parkin.

"But if you look at our findings, it is clear that 40% of all cancers are dependent on life style and could be prevented" - continues scientist.

In this case, to protect against cancer, the best solution would be for men to quit smoking, eat more fruits and vegetables and reduce the amount of alcohol consumed.

Women scientists are also advised to stop smoking and to monitor their own weight.

"We did not expect that for men it is the consumption of sufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables is so important for the prevention of disease. And we also do not think that women's weight problem will be more significant factor than alcohol," - says Max Parkin.

In total, scientists counted 14 factors affecting the susceptibility to cancer. All of them are related to the environment and way of life.

About 100,000 cases of cancer in the UK (or 34%) was associated with smoking, unhealthy diet, obesity and heavy drinking.

One of the 25 cases associated with adverse operating conditions, eg working with chemicals.

Factors influencing the occurrence of certain types of tumors are well known. For example, everyone knows that smoking causes lung cancer. However, on the other links of disease and risk factors of people know much less. According to scientists, about 10% of cases of breast cancer associated with being overweight or obese.

Half of all cancers of the esophagus are due to a lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet, and only 20% of esophageal cancer provoked immoderate consumption of alcohol, whereas 20% of cases of gastric cancer associated with a predilection for salty foods the patient. At the same time the emergence of certain types of tumors are not triggered primarily by a single fact, and is associated with a general way of life. Cancer of the gall bladder, for example, generally has nothing to do with bad habits.

In the study of the causes of cancer researchers used data on cancer incidence in the UK for 15 years, from 1993 to 2007.

In the case of men, the incidence of cancer has been linked mainly to the lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet (6.1%), unfavorable factors in the profession (4.9%), alcohol in large amounts (4.6%), overweight ( 4.1%), prolonged exposure to sun and ultraviolet rays (3.3%).

Cancer in women is mainly precipitated by overweight and obesity (6.9%), infections (3.7%), prolonged exposure to the sun (3.6%), lack of fruits and vegetables in the diet (3.4%) and alcohol (3.3%).