One-third of cancer deaths preventable

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HOUSTON, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- If people ate healthier meals and increased daily exercise 186,000 cancer deaths, one-third of the annual U.S. total, could be prevented, an expert says.

Michele Forman of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston says there are low cost ways to to prevent cancer.

"Cancer is a disease that is cheaper to prevent than treat," Forman says in a statement.

Forman admits eating five or more servings of fruits and veggies can be costly and advises checking out a list of farmers' markets and eligibility for nutrition assistance at www.usda.gov.

Forman suggests cancer risk can by reduced by:

-- Avoiding tobacco. Quitting saves up to $4,000 a year. Free programs and/or information are available at Web sites: mdanderson.org/preventionstudy; smokefree.gov; and yesquit.com.

-- Being sun-safe. Use sunglasses and sunscreen at least sun-protection factor 15 can be almost as good as more expensive SPF 70, if applied and reapplied properly.

-- Getting checkups so cancers are found early when most treatable. Some states offer free or low-cost screening. Call 1-800 4-CANCER.