Key risk factors for the relative and absolute 5‐year risk of cancer to enhance cancer screening and prevention

Background This study identifies populations who may benefit most from expanded cancer screening. Methods Two American Cancer Society prospective cohort studies, Cancer Prevention Study‐II Nutrition Cohort and Cancer Prevention Study‐3, were used to identify the risk factors associated with a > 2% absolute risk of any cancer within 5 years. In total, 429,991 participants with no prior personal history of cancer were followed for cancer for up to 5 years. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for association. By using these hazard ratios, individualized coherent absolute risk estimation was used to calculate absolute risks by age. Results Overall, 15,226 invasive cancers were diagnosed among participants within 5 years of enrollment. The multivariable‐adjusted relative risk of any cancer was strongest for current smokers compared with never‐smokers. In men, alcohol intake, family history of cancer, red meat consumption, and physical inactivity were also associated with risk (p