The just-concluded Union for International Cancer Control World Cancer Congress has very encouraging news:  Lifestyle changes could prevent a half, 50%, of common cancers.  And the prediction is that if widely applied, a large portion of cancers could be prevented altogether in 15 to 20 years.

The report, summarized in Medscape says that lifestyle changes could take care of most, while high tech interventions can eliminate some types of cancer altogether.

Upstate Psychologist and medical researcher Rich O'Neill says quittting smoking is the number one lifestyle change, and it would cut down on incidence of not only lung cancer, but one third of all cancers.  Overweight and obesity account for another 20% of cancers, and bringing body weight to the normal range would cut risks of those cancers by 50%.  Obese post-menopausal women can cut the risk of breast cancer in half by losing 20 pounds.

Poor diet and lack of exercise account for another 10% or risk.

In the 'higher tech fixes' category:  For women at high risk of breast cancer, tamoxifen and raloxifine cut risk by 50%.  Raloxifine is also good for cutting uterine cancer risks by 36%.

Colorectal screening cuts risk of that cancer by 40%, as does taking aspirin regularly.

And the biggest strides are being made in vaccines:  childhood immunizations for HPV (human pappillomavirus) as well as Hepatitis B and C prevent 100% of those virus-related cancers.