What you don't know about cancer can kill you

What you don't know about cancer can kill you

Highlights of the survey findings include:

• Fewer than 40 percent of Americans know that alcohol affects cancer risk.
• Only 40 percent know that processed meats are also associated with cancer risk.
• Fifty percent of Americans are aware that being overweight spurs cancer risk, up from 35 percent in 2001.

Nearly one-third of common cancers in the United States could be prevented through diet, weight management and physical activity. That increases to half when factors such as not smoking and avoiding sun damage are added, according to the institute.