Per Deidre McPhillips, in CNN.com “Nearly half of adult cancer deaths in the US could be prevented by making lifestyle changes, study finds”.

“About 40% of new cancer cases among adults ages 30 and older in the United States — and nearly half of deaths — could be attributed to preventable risk factors, according to a new study from the American Cancer Society.

Smoking was the leading risk factor by far, the study found, contributing to nearly 1 in 5 cancer cases and nearly a third of cancer deaths. Other key risk factors included excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, diet and infections such as HPV.

Another recent study found that the risk for certain cancers was significantly reduced for people taking popular weight-loss and diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

As rates of early-onset cancer rise in the US, it’s especially important to create healthy habits early, experts say. It’s harder to quit smoking once you’ve started or lose weight that you’ve gained.

And making lifestyle changes to minimize exposure to certain factors can reduce cancer risk relatively quickly, experts say."

Prevention is the key but it is never too late to start working on decreasing your risk factors.