Smoking was the biggest culprit
Nearly half of cancers diagnosed in the UK each year could be prevented by changing lifestyle choices such as smoking and drinking, a review has revealed.
The report published today in the British Journal of Cancer reveals over 130,000 cases of the disease could be prevented by making a few changes.
After analysing hundreds of studies on the causes of the most common forms of cancer, 40% were the result of lifestyle and environmental factors.
Smoking was the biggest cause, with tobacco being responsible for over 60,000 of the cases diagnosed last year in the UK.
The second cause for men was a lack of fruit and vegatables in their diet and for women it was being overweight.
Whereas many people believe cancer is in the genes or down to bad luck, it appears by making simple life choices it can, in some cases, be avoided.
Lead author Prof Max Parkin said: "Looking at all the evidence, it's clear that around 40% of all cancers are caused by things we mostly have the power to change."
There were 14 factors analysed that combined, caused 134,000 cases. Factors such as your job, where you live, health factors such as being overweight, and lifestyle choices and habits were all stated as reasons.
The study was in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Alexandra Baracskai