Which intervention most directly addresses the leading cause of cancer deaths in North America?

• A. Monthly self breast exams
• B. Smoking cessation
• C. Annual colonoscopies
• D. Monthly testicular exams

Answer: (B)

The most effective way to lower cancer deaths is to reduce the biggest risk factor driving those deaths. In North America, tobacco use is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, fueling many cancers beyond just lung cancer. Quitting smoking directly lowers the risk for multiple cancers and reduces overall cancer mortality, making it the strongest intervention to cut deaths from cancer as a whole.

Screening-or-exam approaches like colonoscopy help prevent or detect a specific cancer (colorectal cancer) and can save lives by catching that cancer early, but they don’t address the primary, widespread cause of cancer deaths. Likewise, regular self-exams for breast or testicular cancer haven’t shown the same population-level mortality benefit as smoking cessation. Therefore, stopping smoking best addresses the leading cause of cancer deaths.