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Education

Britons blame cancer risk on 'fate'

03/01/2007

More than one in every four Britons believes that whether or not they get cancer is purely down to luck.

A survey conducted by Cancer Research UK published today found that 27 per cent of British adults said cancer risk was determined by fate and could not be lowered by human efforts.

As stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, eating fruit and vegetables and avoiding sunburn have all been proven to reduce cancer risk, Dr Lesley Walker, director of information at Cancer Research UK, said that education is a key issue in lowering cancer cases in Britain.

"It is alarming that such a large percentage of the British population do not realise that half of all cases of cancer can be prevented by lifestyle changes," Dr Walker commented.

"We can give people information about how to do this but it is seriously worrying that so many people think cancer is down to fate."

The survey found that the percentage of people attributing cancer risk to fate rose in the most deprived areas of Britain to an average of 43 per cent, compared to 14 per cent in the most wealthy areas.

People over 65 were the age demographic most likely to blame cancer on fate.

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