There’s no more kidding yourself; you can’t hide behind the notion that getting cancer is simply “bad luck”.

A study from the Cancer Research Center at Stony Brook University has found evidence proving that extrinsic factors — like smoking, sun exposure, air pollution and drinking — are more likely to cause cancer than intrinsic ones. So basically, if you put down that cigarette and put on some sunscreen like your mom always told you to, you could be less likely to acquire cancer.

Led by Yusuf Hannan, the researchers in New York used four approaches to assess the risk of cancer and concluded that only 10 to 30 per cent come from intrinsic risk factors (the way the body naturally functions) or “bad luck”.

Seventy to 90 per cent of the risk has to do with extrinsic factors according to the research.

Cancer, as we know it, is a growth or tumor resulting from the wild division of abnormal cells and it is the leading cause of death world wide, according to the World Health Organization. In 2012 alone it accounted for 8.2 million deaths.

The study combats research found earlier this year, published in the journal Science that attempted to explain why certain tissues are more likely to develop cancer than others. It suggested that areas of the body where cell division occurred quickly were more likely to grow tumors.

Professor Kevin McConway at the Open University told The Telegraph that the Stony Brook research provided, “pretty convincing evidence” for external factors playing a major role in the development of cancer.

Image sources:cbc.ca,  agemarker.com,  northeasttarrantderm.com,  nutritionreview.org