ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses what is known about the contributions of the following factors to cancer incidence and mortality: tobacco, alcohol, diet, occupation, pollution, consumer products, medical drugs and radiation, sexual development, reproductive patterns and sexual practices, natural radiation, infection, and other or unknown associations. Diseases related to the smoking of tobacco include lung cancer and cancer at other sites, coronary heart disease and stroke, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and many other diseases, including peptic ulcers. Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that cancers are more common in men employed in trades that encourage the consumption of large amounts of alcohol. Examination of cancer rates in different countries show positive correlations between colon cancer and consumption of meat and animal protein and between cancer of the breast and endometrium with total fat consumption. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce carcinogen formation in experimental animals, and this activity may be important in reducing cancer occurrence.
