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Definition

Environment as a cause of cancer is a complex and often misunderstood topic. The term environment has several different meanings when referring to causation of cancer. Originally, the term "environmental cause of cancer" was used to refer to all cancers that were not caused by hereditary or inherited factors. This definition included all cancers caused by lifestyle practices such as diet and tobacco use, viruses, and many other causes. For purposes of clarification, the term "environment" has been further defined by adding the labels "personal environment" and "external environment" when referring to causes of cancer.

By this definition, causes of cancer related to an individual's personal environment includes lifestyle choices such as diet, use of tobacco, and other factors which may place the individual at high risk for the...