Cancer recommendations save lives

Every year over 20 000 people in Sweden die of cancer. One third of cancer cases can be attributed to lifestyle factors.

“This means that there is the potential to prevent around 6 000 deaths each year, and this is a priority goal for research and the health service”, says Mef Nilbert, Professor of Oncology at Lund University and head of the regional cancer centre for southern Sweden, RCC Syd.

Today, cancer is the most common cause of death among people of working age – and the second most common after heart disease among the population as a whole. Despite major progress in both diagnosis and treatment of cancer, the number of cases continues to rise. Last year, over 55 000 people in Sweden were diagnosed with cancer.

“One explanation is that the population is ageing and the risk of cancer increases with age”, says Mef Nilbert, who has conducted research on heredity and risk of cancer metastasis.

“However, we are also seeing an increasingly clear link between lifestyle and the risk of developing cancer. Smoking is a factor for one person in five who is diagnosed with cancer, and if we include other factors such as alcohol, obesity and physical inactivity, lifestyle contributes to roughly one in three cases of cancer in Sweden.”

“There is nothing more difficult than getting people to change their habits.”

Important collaboration

Since the start of 2013, Mef Nilbert has been head of RCC Syd, a regional cancer centre where the councils of four counties in southern Sweden collaborate to improve cancer care and in the long term help to reverse the trend so that the number of cancer diagnoses falls rather than rises.

“Our mission is based on the national cancer guidelines and covers the entire chain from preventive measures via diagnosis and treatment to prevention of metastasis and end-of-life care”, says Mef Nilbert. The major challenge is putting in the effort to refine cancer treatments, which requires a lot of resources, and to getting people to really change their lifestyles in order to reduce their risk of cancer.

By 2030 the number of cancer cases in Sweden is expected to double as the population ages, if we don’t change our lifestyles. Preventing cancer is therefore an increasingly important issue both for public health and for society as a whole. In total, cancer is expected to cost society SEK 70 billion a year by 2030 – double what it costs today.

Target zero vision for smoking

“There is nothing more difficult than getting people to change their habits, but I am convinced that it is possible if we invest in research, collaboration and knowledge-based information that targets different high-risk groups. I would like to see a vision of zero smoking among young people, for example. That could have a major impact in the long term.”

Facts

How you can reduce your risk of cancer

Following the recommendations in the report KRAM i Skuggan (which stands for Diet, Smoking, Alcohol, Exercise and Sun Exposure), based on the European Code Against Cancer, could prevent over 10 000 cases of cancer every year, and save up to 6 000 lives. The recommendations are:

• Don’t smoke. If you are already a smoker, it is never too late to quit.

• Avoid obesity.

• Undertake some brisk physical activity every day.

• Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Reduce your intake of animal fat.

• Take care with alcohol. The recommended maximum is two glasses of wine a day for men and one glass for women.

• Avoid excessive sun exposure – and protect children and young people in particular.