With the death of ABC news anchor Peter Jennings, many are looking for ways to help prevent lung cancer -- the top U.S. cancer killer.
About 174,000 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed in the United States every year, but the five-year survival rate is only 15 percent -- often because the diagnosis usually comes late in the disease, MSNBC reported.
Tobacco accounts for 87 percent of lung cancer deaths, but smokers who quit reduce their risk of lung cancer death 30 percent to 50 percent after 10 years, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. If smokers quit before age 50, they may reach the risk level of someone who never smoked.
The American Institute for Cancer Research also recommends filling one's plate two-thirds or more of plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.
A World Health Organization report said if people eat at least four cups of vegetables and fruits a day, it could reduce lung cancer worldwide by 12 percent.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International
