Institute of Cancer Epidemiology |
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Why do we get cancer? That question forms the basis of the work for more than 65 scientists at the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, because the vast majority of the more than 30,000 new cases of cancer in Denmark annually are due to our lifestyle factors or to the carcinogenic effects of our surroundings.
Currently, the cause of at least 35 percent of all cases of cancer is known. These include cancers due to tobacco, substances in the working environment, radioactive radiation, radon, sun, infections, obesity, incorrect diet and too little exercise. However, there is much to indicate that anything up to 80 percent of all cancer is due to our lifestyle or the impact of our environment.
The researchers at the Institute are primarily occupied with the work of increasing the sum total of knowledge about the causes of cancer. If the individual causes are isolated and identified, in future we shall be able to prevent more cases of cancer than today. Greater knowledge about why cancer occurs can also be the key to finding more effective treatments.
Other key aspects of the research concentrate on finding factors—e.g. counselling, dietary advice and physical training—which have a bearing on survival and quality of life following a cancer illness, in addition to medical treatment. Targeted work is also going on to shed light on the physical, mental and social long-term sequelae experienced by many cancer patients after their therapy.