Irish oncologists share eight things they do to lower their risk of cancer

Cancer is the leading cause of death, but up to half of all cases are preventable. We ask four oncologists about the steps they take to lower their risk

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Cancer is responsible for 30% of deaths in Ireland. It is the single biggest killer, with more than 9,620 deaths a year, according to a report from the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) and the Irish Cancer Society published in April.

While the statistics are sobering, it is crucial to remember there is much we can do to offset our cancer risk. The WHO, for example, has said tobacco use is the single greatest avoidable risk factor for cancer mortality, that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption was associated with almost 23,000 new cancer cases in the EU in 2017, and that excess body mass was found to be responsible for 3.4% of cancers.