During National Cancer Prevention Month, WVU School of Medicine cancer experts Stephenie Kennedy-Rea and Dr. Hannah Hazard-Jenkins remind the public that preventative care, including healthy lifestyle choices and early detection, is critical to avoiding serious disease.
(WVU Graphic)
As part of National Cancer Prevention Month, West Virginia University experts are emphasizing two types of cancer prevention — primary prevention, which focuses on keeping the disease from happening, and secondary prevention, which focuses on detection at the disease’s earliest stage.
The National Cancer Institute estimates about 40% of cancer diagnoses and deaths in the U.S. in 2025 were preventable.
Stephenie Kennedy-Rea, chair of cancer prevention and control, WVU Cancer Institute and WVU School of Medicine Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, is available to discuss current preventive measures and ones that are on the horizon.
Dr. Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, executive chair, director, surgeon-in-chief and director of clinical services, WVU Cancer Institute, and Jean and Laurence DeLynn Chair of Oncology and professor, WVU School of Medicine Department of Surgery, is available to discuss cancer statistics and how prevention can change those figures.
Quotes:
“Primary prevention focuses on healthy eating and physical activity to prevent obesity and obesity-associated cancers, vaccination to prevent human papillomavirus, education and promotion of the benefits of not smoking, and cessation services for those who are smoking to prevent tobacco-related cancers.
“Secondary prevention allows us to detect disease at its earliest stage when the potential for positive outcomes with fewer side effects is greatest. Prevention and screening are often used synonymously, but they are not interchangeable. Screening doesn’t prevent cancer. Its design is to catch cancer in its earliest stage when the patient is not symptomatic.
“We have population- and age-based screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers. Screening is essential to improve the rate of survival of these three cancer types. For those at high risk of lung cancer, we have ‘low-dose computed tomography,’ a specialized imaging test. For men over age 45, we encourage shared decision-making conversations with their providers about prostate-specific antigen testing.
“By diagnosing cancer in its earliest stages, we are often able to provide less extensive local treatment such as surgery and radiation therapy where indicated, and less intensive systemic treatment.
“The most promising and exciting cancer prevention research is the multi-cancer early detection tests. These are liquid biopsy blood sample tests that detect up to 54 cancers with a single blood draw. The WVU Department of Cancer Prevention and Control and Department of Family Medicine have been involved in clinical trials with one of these tests.” — Stephenie Kennedy-Rea, chair of cancer prevention and control, WVU Cancer Institute, and Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, WVU School of Medicine
“Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. About 30% of cancer deaths each year can be attributed to cigarette smoking. For lung cancer, over 90% is attributed to tobacco smoking.
“Human papillomavirus is associated with 91% of cervical and anal cancers and 70% of oropharyngeal cancers. It is estimated that 90% of HPV-related cancers can be prevented with vaccination.
“There are 13 cancers associated with being overweight and obese. These include meningioma, adenocarcinoma and multiple myeloma, as well as cancers of the kidneys, uterus, ovaries, thyroid, breast, liver, gallbladder, upper stomach, pancreas, colon and rectum.
“There are cancers that are highly associated with genetic predilection, but those are the minority and likely represent only 10% to 20% of diagnosed cancers.” — Dr. Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, executive chair, director, surgeon-in-chief and director of clinical services, WVU Cancer Institute, and Jean and Laurence DeLynn Chair of Oncology and professor, Department of Surgery, WVU School of Medicine
West Virginia University experts can provide commentary, insights and opinions on various news topics. Search for an expert by name, title, area of expertise or college/school/department in the Experts Database at WVUToday.
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