Environmental Health Perspectives Volume
103, Supplement 8, November 1995
Introduction - The Avoidable Causes of Cancer
It has been estimated that perhaps 75 to 80% of all cancer in the United
States is due, at least partly, to environmental factors and is, therefore,
potentially avoidable. The importance of environmental exposures including
behavioral factors has been evident in the international and regional variations
in cancer incidence and mortality, the changes in cancer rates among migrant
populations, time trends, clustering of cases detected by clinical observations
and cancer mapping, ethnic and socioeconomic patterns, and most importantly,
in analytic epidemiologic studies. Some environmental factors, notably tobacco
and some occupational exposures, have substantial and well-established roles
in the etiology of cancer, while the effects of certain other factors are
less clear and require much more research. In April 1994, the President's
Cancer Panel of the National Cancer Program hosted a conference on Avoidable
Causes of Cancer. The conferees reviewed what is known about avoidable causes
of cancer, suggested lines of further etiologic research, and discussed
strategies for prevention. The conference demonstrated the power and success
of the epidemiologic approach not only in identifying a number of preventable
environmental exposures as causes of cancer but also in promoting insights
into the role of genetic susceptibility and even mechanisms of action, including
host-environment interactions and the multistage process of carcinogenesis.
The organizing committee consisted of Dr. Devra Lee Davis, Office of
the Assistant Secretary of Health, Department of Health and Human Services;
Dr. Joseph F. Fraumeni, Jr., Dr. Robert N. Hoover, Dr. Edward J. Sondik,
Dr. Philip R. Taylor, and Dr. Shelia Hoar Zahm, National Cancer Institute;
and Dr. Maureen O. Wilson, Executive Secretary, President's Cancer Panel.
The members of the President's Cancer Panel are Dr. Harold P. Freeman, Chair,
Dr. Henry C. Pitot, and Frances M. Visco.
The organizers are grateful to Dr. Samuel Broder, former Director of
the National Cancer Institute, for encouragement and guidance, and to the
editors of Environmental Health Perspectives Supplements for publishing
the conference proceedings, which we hope will accelerate further research
into the causes of cancer and the means of prevention.
Last Update: September 8, 1998
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