Cancer Risk

Gender

While males are generally at greater risk of contracting (and dying from) cancer compared to females, the gender gap for both cancer incidence and mortality has narrowed over the years. Females are also as likely to contract and die from cancer (National Registry of Diseases Office, 2022).

Age

There is a growing proportion of cancer diagnoses for older age groups. From 1968-1972 to 2016-2020, cancer diagnoses among individuals aged 70 and above increased from 15.7% to 43.2% for males, and 17% to 33.4% for females.
The median age of cancer diagnosis had also increased; from 59.6 to 68.1 years for males; and 57.3 to 63.3 years for females (National Registry of Diseases Office, 2022).

Weight

Weight gain and body fatness throughout one’s lifetime mainly depend on excess food consumption and physical inactivity to some extent. Individuals with excess body fat have up to a 9% higher risk of contracting various cancers such as colon, rectum, and breast cancer (Lauby-Secretan et al., 2016).

Genetic Makeup

Up to 10% of cancers can be attributed to inheritable faulty genes. Hence, certain individuals and their family members
are at greater risk of specific cancers, like colorectal cancer, than the average population (National Cancer Institute, 2022a).

Comorbidities

Eight types of chronic diseases were linked to a statistically greater risk of incident cancer. A combination of cardiovascular disease markers, diabetes, chronic kidney disease markers, pulmonary disease, and gouty arthritis markers was associated with significant cancer risk (Tu et al., 2018).

Lifestyle Choices

Lifestyle factors could also contribute to greater cancer risk. Below are some possible factors:

• Smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke (for smokers and non-smokers) are linked to many types of cancers, as tobacco smoke contains many carcinogenic substances (World Health Organization, n.d.).
• A considerable portion of cancer occurrences is linked to obesity, lack of physical activity, and unhealthy eating behaviours (Behrens et al., 2018).
• Cigarette smoking, tobacco use, and alcohol drinking are all linked to greater risks of several cancers (National Cancer Institute, 2022b).

Environmental Factors

Certain environmental substances could also contribute to greater cancer risk. Below are some possible factors:

• Certain chemicals and environmental substances were found to be carcinogenic to individuals exposed to them. Commonly
  found types of chemicals include tobacco from cigarettes and diesel from exhaust fumes. Medical radiation from diagnostic scans could also increase risk (National Cancer Institute, 2022b).
• Environmental pollution has also been attributed worldwide to premature deaths from cancer. Occupational carcinogens such as asbestos are linked to several cancers like lung, stomach and colorectal cancer. Excessive exposure to sun ultraviolet (UV) radiation also contributes to skin cancer (World Health Organization, n.d.).