In the next two decades, the whole world will face a real “tsunami” of deaths and new cancer casesThis was reported by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Cancer incidence will increase by 47 percent WHO announced that from 19 million in 2020 to 30 million in 2040 worldwide, especially in third world countries.

In addition, during the same period the number the number of deaths will rise from ten million to 16.3 million.This is a real “tsunami” that can only be avoided through preventive measures, the director of the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Elisabeth Weiderpass warned in Madrid.

On the occasion of World Cancer Research Day, Weiderpass took part in a day organized by the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), which was also attended by the director of the National Epidemiological Center of the Carlos III Institute of Health, Marina Pollan.

At the conference, which was opened by scientist and CNIO director Maria Blasco, three researchers emphasized the importance of prevention because almost half of today’s cancer cases could be avoided by living a healthy lifestyle.

In his talk, Weiderpass explained that there are a number of factors that are “sure” to cause cancer: tobacco, which is “public enemy number one”, and in addition to killing every second smoker, it causes twenty different types of cancer.

In addition, there are other risk factors such as alcohol consumptionwhich causes 741,000 cases of cancer worldwide every year, “even in small quantities,” he warned, or obesity“which causes twelve different types of cancer” and which has become a global epidemic caused by the consumption of sugary drinks and processed foods.

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The expert also recalled that infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or human papillomavirus They also cause cancer, but all of them can be prevented through screening and testing, as well as vaccines, he stressed.

Weiderpass also stressed the value of the study as other risk factors still need to be studied, such as benzene, processed meats, pollution or asbestos exposure, exposure to lead or aspartame (an artificial sweetener).

Studying, monitoring and preventing these factors is Weiderpass’s “best and most beneficial way to avoid cancer,” he concluded.

For his part, Pollan explained that “not everything is in the genes” and that Many types of cancer can be avoided by following simple guidelines. for example, stopping smoking, drinking alcohol, eating a healthy diet based on the consumption of whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables and olive oil.

Also, follow WHO instructions on how to Avoid a sedentary lifestyle and engage in 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. According to Pollan, who lamented that in Spain, “40% of men and 30% of women” do no exercise at all during their free time (the equivalent of walking at least half an hour a day).

(EFE)