1. Several factors increase the risk of cancer (officially known as malignant neoplasm), including pollutants, tobacco use, certain infections, radiation, obesity, and lack of physical exercise.

2. An estimated 5 to 10% of cancers are entirely hereditary. Most cancers develop through a combination of hereditary and environmental factors.

3. Smoking causes an estimated 90% of lung cancer. Tobacco has killed 50 million people in the last decade. If trends continue, a billion people will die from tobacco use and exposure this century, which equates to one person every six seconds.

4. Those who sleep less than six hours a night are more likely to develop colon cancer than those who sleep more.

5. Cancer has two main characteristics: abnormal cell growth and the ability to spread to other parts of the body (metastasis).

6. In 2008, there were an estimated 12,667,500 new cases of cancer worldwide. Eastern Asia had the most new cases (3,720,000) and Micronesia the fewest (700). North America had approximately 1,603,900 new cases.

7. One in eight deaths in the world are due to cancer. Cancer causes more deaths than AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined.

8. Cancer is the leading cause of death in developed countries and the second leading cause of death in developing countries, after heart disease. Globally, heart disease is the number one killer.

9. In 2008, 7.6 million people died of cancer globally, which equates to 21,000 cancer deaths a day. By 2030, 21.4 million new cancer cases are expected to occur globally with 13.2 million cancer deaths.

10. In 2006, a virus called xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) was discovered in prostate cells, leading scientists to believe the virus may play a role in causing aggressive prostate cancer.

11. Nitrites are chemical additives used to preserve and add flavoring to most lunch meats, including cold cuts and hot dogs. Once in the body, they react with body chemicals and turn into cancer-causing carcinogens. Americans eat more than 20 billion hot dogs per year.

12. The most common cancer in women globally is breast cancer, with an estimated 1.4 million new cases diagnosed in 2008. Breast cancer is also the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide, with an estimated 458,400 deaths a year.

13. Approximately 15% of all cancers worldwide are due to infections. Undeveloped countries have a higher rate of cancers due to infection (26%) than in developed countries (8%). The microbes most responsible for cancer are the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (gastric cancer), HPV (cervical and other cancers), and Hepatitis B and C (liver cancer).

14. Researchers believe that more than half of all cancers and cancer deaths are potentially preventable.

15. Lung, prostate, and stomach cancers are the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men. Breast, cervix, and colorectal cancers are the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women.

16. In 2008, cervical cancer was the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. An estimated 529,800 were diagnosed, with over 85% of those diagnosed in developing countries.

17. The earliest description of cancer was found in the Edwin Smith Papyrus dating back to 1600 B.C. It describes what appears to be breast cancer. Though breast cancer was treated by cauterization with a tool called a “fire drill,” the author ultimately wrote, “There is no treatment.”

18. The word “cancer” is related to the Greek word “crab” because its finger-like projections were similar to the shape of the crab. Galen, a Roman physician, used the word oncos, which is Greek for “swelling.”

19. Since February 2009, over 40 million doses of Gardasil have been distributed globally. The FDA and the CDC claim that Gardisal prevents certain types of cervical cancer and that it is safe.

20. The American Cancer Society estimates 577,190 people will die from cancer in the U.S. per year, or more than 1,500 people a day.

21. As of January 2008, there were approximately 12 million people alive in the U.S. who had a medical history of cancer.

22. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., with over 2 million cases of skin cancers diagnosed every year. Many cases could be prevented by protecting the skin from overexposure from the sun and avoiding indoor tanning.

23. Approximately 77% of all cancers are diagnosed in people who are 55 years old or older.

24. The National institute of Health (NIH) posits that the cost of cancer in 2007 in the U.S. was $226.8 billion overall. Globally, the economic impact of cancer is substantially higher than any other cause of death.

25. The majority of research shows being overweight adversely affects survival for postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Conversely, postmenopausal women who are more physically active are less likely to die from breast cancer.

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