Cancer is one of the most important causes of death worldwide. Cancer burden, however, varies widely across geographical regions as well as across ethnic groups. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), many cancers are associated with risk factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, certain dietary patterns, and lack of physical activity. Others are caused by infectious agents. Many cancers are therefore partly preventable. In general, cancer prevention is achieved on different levels and comprises (1) the complete prevention of the disease using methods that avert the exposure to risk factors (primary prevention), (2) early detection of disease and the limitation of its effects after diagnosis (secondary prevention), and (3) the avoidance of further disabilities in persons diagnosed with cancer (tertiary prevention).
Assuring equality with regard to healthcare services and access to preventive medicine is sought by many industrialized countries and is gaining...
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Arnold, M., Razum, O. (2012). Cancer Prevention. In: Loue, S., Sajatovic, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Immigrant Health. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5659-0_116
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