title: Cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to modifiable factors: introduction and overview.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the approach underpinning a national project to estimate the numbers and proportions of cancers occurring in Australia in 2010 that are attributable to modifiable causal factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) (or prevented fraction) of cancers associated with exposure to causal (or preventive) factors using standard formulae. Where possible, we also estimated the potential impact on cancer incidence resulting from changes in prevalence of exposure. Analyses were restricted to factors declared causal by international agencies: tobacco smoke; alcohol; solar radiation; infectious agents; obesity; insufficient physical activity; insufficient intakes of fruits, vegetables and fibre; red and processed meat; menopausal hormone therapy (MHT); oral contraceptive pill (OCP); and insufficient breast feeding. Separately, we estimated numbers of cancers prevented by: aspirin; sunscreen; MHT; and OCP use. We discuss assumptions pertaining to latent periods between exposure and cancer onset, choices of prevalence data and risk estimates, and approaches to sensitivity analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Numbers and population attributable fractions of cancer are presented in accompanying papers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first systematic assessment of population attributable fractions of cancer in Australia.
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Whiteman
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Penelope M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.|Cancer Research UK, Manchester Institute and Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Adele C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Neale
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fritschi
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bain
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Prevention, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D Max
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Parkin
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.
authors.forename: Louise F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nagle
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Nirmala
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pandeya
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antonsson
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.|School of Medicine, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Bradley J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kendall
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.
authors.forename: Maria Celia B
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.
authors.forename: Torukiri I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Ibiebele
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland.
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.affiliation: Occupational Respiratory Epidemiology, School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Curtin University, Western Australia.
authors.forename: Renee N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Carey
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: cancer; population attributable fraction; potential impact fraction; risk factor