Preventing cancer from developing.

Tobacco and alcohol, lack of exercise, obesity and an unhealthy diet: Around 40 percent of all cancer cases in Germany can be traced back to a few common risk factors. Certain infections and environmental factors are also known to trigger cancer.

Targeted primary prevention, i.e., decisive action against these risk factors, as well as consistent protection against cancer-promoting infections could prevent a large proportion of these cases.

Early detection of cancer is also of central importance: If the precancerous stages are removed quickly, the cancer is nipped in the bud. Even tumors that are detected early can usually be cured with today's therapies. Even if a healthy lifestyle does not offer 100% protection, consistent primary prevention and early detection can reduce cancer mortality by up to 70%.

In order to make better use of this great potential in the future, we at the German Cancer Research Center are pushing ahead with prevention research and developing improved strategies for early cancer detection.

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