New Survey of Americans Uncovers Widespread Fear of Cancer, But Little Knowledge About Reducing Risk
Cancer Experts Concerned that Popular Misconceptions May Instill Feelings of Helplessness

Respondents were also asked about their beliefs regarding the causes of cancer. The vast majority of Americans was able to identify a variety of proven risks - 92 percent say they believe tobacco causes cancer, and 90 percent cite excessive exposure to sunlight.

But the AICR experts who conducted the survey expressed considerable surprise and dismay that most Americans overlooked other factors that have also been proven to increase cancer risk. Only 46 percent identified diets low in fruits and vegetables as a cancer promoter, only 42 percent believed alcohol to affect cancer risk, and only 35 percent cited obesity or insufficient physical activity. These four factors alone have been convincingly linked to 11 different types of cancer.

AICR Director of Nutrition Education Melanie Polk, RD, presented the survey findings along with Dr. Richard M. Niles, Professor and Chair of the Department of Biochemistry at Marshall University School of Medicine.

"Americans are telling us three things: they are worried about cancer, they feel it is inevitable, and they are largely unaware of the steps they can take to reduce their risk," said Polk. "Anxiety, Feelings of Helplessness, and Lack of Knowledge - it's a dangerous combination.

"Luckily," she continued, "there is clear and convincing evidence that the choices we make everyday - choices like what foods we eat and whether or not we exercise, drink, or smoke - have a dramatic impact on our risk of getting cancer. In fact, making these decisions in a healthy way can prevent 60 to 70 percent of all cancers. That's an empowering message, and one that desperately needs to be heard."

Americans Deem Cancer Number One Concern, Impossible to Prevent
Respondents to the survey were first asked to rank various diseases and conditions according to the amount of personal, day-to-day concern each caused.

Cancer was the number one concern of 36 percent of Americans, which represents a plurality of those surveyed. Cardiovascular disease, which is actually the number one killer of Americans, came in a distant second, with 23 percent of Americans citing it as their primary health concern.

"That's an interesting difference," Polk said. "Why are Americans so much more concerned about cancer when cardiovascular disease claims about 400,000 more American lives than cancer each year? When we saw those results, we wondered what it was about cancer that could cause such a disparity."

She added that they didn't have to look far for the answer, because the very next survey question asked Americans about their beliefs on whether or not various diseases and conditions can be prevented. Americans were asked to rank various diseases and conditions on a scale from one to five, with one representing "highly preventable" and five representing "cannot be prevented."

According to the survey, one in four Americans believe cancer is impossible to prevent - 27 percent of respondents gave cancer a rating of "5" for "cannot be prevented." Diabetes came next at 20 percent, followed by AIDS (13 percent), cardiovascular disease (7 percent) and obesity (6 percent).

Only one condition earned more "cannot be prevented" ratings than cancer - the common cold (35 percent).

When the results were adjusted to collectively reflect the ratings at the bottom end of the scale (both "4" and "5") - a whopping 48 percent of Americans said preventing cancer was either highly unlikely or impossible to prevent. Once again diabetes came next, with 37 percent of Americans deeming it highly unlikely or impossible to prevent. Cardiovascular disease was considered highly unlikely or impossible to prevent by only 19 percent, AIDS by 18 percent, and obesity was considered highly unlikely or impossible to prevent by 13 percent of those surveyed.

"Here's the solution to the mystery," said Polk. "Americans are concerned about both cancer and cardiovascular disease, but they're much more confident that they can control their risk of heart disease. Unfortunately, cancer is still regarded by half of the US population as something that they cannot defend against, a disease that strikes at random."

The truth, she said, is that following the same well-known strategies to reduce risk for cardiovascular disease will also reduce risk for cancer. AICR has adopted a series of Diet and Health Guidelines for Cancer Prevention (see page 9) to urge a diet that is rich in a variety of plant-based foods (especially vegetables and fruits), low in fat and salt and moderate in alcohol. The AICR Guidelines also advise maintenance of a healthy weight and regular physical activity.

Few Americans Know About Cancer Risks Associated With Diet
The AICR survey asked Americans about their beliefs regarding causes of cancer. Although many were able to correctly identify known cancer risk factors like tobacco (92 percent) and excessive exposure to sunlight (90 percent), other factors that have been convincingly linked to cancers were consistently overlooked.

"The top three cancer causes mentioned by Americans - tobacco, excessive exposure to the sun, and inherited predisposition - are certainly legitimate ones," said Polk. "It's gratifying to see that the word is getting out about tobacco, which is single-handedly responsible for 87% of all lung cancers, and one in five deaths in the United States today. Americans also seem to know about excessive sun exposure, which will cause approximately 1.3 million cases of skin cancer this year."

But, Polk said, the story about the third most-often mentioned factor, inherited predisposition, is considerably more complex. An overwhelming 89 percent of Americans cited inherited predisposition (i.e., "cancer genes") as a cause of cancer. Yet researchers estimate that only about five to 10 percent of all cancers can be attributed to a genetic predisposition.

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