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December 1995 (Volume 73)
Quarterly Article
Graham A. Colditz
Steven L. Gortmaker
September 2026
Sep 25, 2026
Sep 23, 2026
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A multifaceted strategy for primary prevention of cancer in the United States focuses on smoking-related cancers, cancer of the colon, breast, and prostate, and malignant melanoma, which account for 50 percent of all cancers. A review of modifiable risks and effective interventions indicates two areas of interest. The common behavioral pathway of risk for smoking-related cancers and colon cancer is oral intake-of tobacco products and a nutritionally unbalanced diet. Effective intervention exists to modify behaviors involving both. In contrast, there are no modifiable risks with a strong potential for preventing breast cancer and prostatic cancer. Thus, future initiatives in cancer prevention should be based on multiple research areas. Tobacco-related cancers, colon cancer, and melanoma require varied intervention approaches, ranging from clinical counseling to excise taxes. Research on breast and prostatic cancer, on the other hand, should concentrate on identifying new, modifiable risks.
Author(s): Graham A. Colditz; Steven L. Gortmaker
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Volume 73, Issue 4 (pages 621–651) Published in 1995