WHO reports recommend lifestyle changes to prevent millions of cancer deaths

Today is World Cancer Day, and two new WHO reports outline steps to avert a rise in cancer deaths in low- and middle-income countries. If current trends continue, these countries could see an 80% increase in the number of cancer cases over 20 years, the agency says. The majority of cancer deaths are now due to lifestyle factors such as tobacco use — which is responsible for about a quarter of all cancer deaths. As such, the WHO’s recommendations focus on scaling up programs for tobacco cessation, alcohol prevention, wider access to healthy foods, and physical activity. With the right steps, “at least 7 million lives could be saved over the next decade,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.