Lifestyle factors 'affect cancer risk'

The notion that developing cancer is down to chance is a "misconception", according to one expert, indicating that those paying for care can stave off the disease by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Dr Ian Lewis, associate director of research at Tenovus, said that taking regular exercise and eating a diet featuring plenty of fruit and vegetables can help prevent cancers developing.

In addition, he recommended only drinking alcohol in moderation.

"We know that as many as half of all cancers could be prevented if we made healthier lifestyle choices and many cancers are treatable if they are detected early enough," he said.

In other news, findings released by the World Cancer Research Fund have revealed that women in the UK are 17 per cent more likely to develop cancer by the age of 75 than the European average.

It was discovered that around a quarter of women in the UK develop cancer by this age, in comparison to around a fifth across Europe.

Posted by Natalie Edwards