| Cause | Proportion (%) |
| Tobacco | 35 |
| Nutrition | 32 |
| Alcohol | 5 |
| Occupation | 4 |
| Geophysical factors | 3 |
| Air pollution | 2 |
| Industrial products | 1 |
| Medicine-induced | 1 |
| Other [e.g., infections; lack of exercise]infections (see “Disease-related causes” below for details): 15%. | 16 |
Environmental carcinogens: various factors as contributors to cancer deaths in the U.S. by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), reported as % of all cancer deaths
| Factor | Share in % |
| General (anthropogenic) environmental pollution (e.g., indoor air, drinking water, soil, contaminated sites, pesticides) | 2 |
| Geophysical factors (e.g., sunlight exposure, indoor exposure to radon, general radiation exposure) | 3 |
| Workstation | 4 |
| Industrial products | < 1 |
| Tobacco use | 30 |
| Alcohol | 3 |
| Food | 35 |
| Food additives | < 1 |
| Reproductive and sexual behavior | 7 |
| Drugs and medical procedures | 1 |
| Infections | 10* |
| Unknown | * * |
Legend
* Estimation * * Unknown number
The following are the causes of cancer development – organized as follows:
- Biographical causes/risk factors incl. genetic factors.
- Behavioral causes or preventive factors.
- Obesity
- Causes related to disease
- Medication
- X-rays – environmental pollution including workplace exposure – other causes.
