A report by the Geneva-based International Union Against Cancer (UICC) highlighted nine infections that can lead to cancer and urged health officials to drive home the importance of vaccines and lifestyle changes in fighting the disease.

“If there was an announcement that somebody had discovered a cure for 40 percent of the world’s cancers, there would quite justifiably be huge jubilation,” UICC president David Hill told Reuters in a telephone interview.

“But the fact is that we have, now, the knowledge to prevent 40 percent of cancers. The tragedy is, we’re not using it.”

Cervical and liver cancer, both caused by infections which can be prevented with vaccines, should be top priorities, the report said, not only in rich nations, but also in developing countries where 80 percent of global cervical cancer occur.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and the total number of cases globally is increasing, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The number of global cancer deaths is projected to rise by 45 percent from 2007 to 2030 from 7.9 million to 11.5 million deaths, driven partly by a growing and aging global population.

The UICC said it wanted to focus policymakers’ attention on cancer-preventing vaccines — like ones made by GlaxoSmithKline and Merck & Co against the human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer, and others against hepatitis B, which causes liver disease and cancer.

“Policymakers around the world have the opportunity and obligation to use these vaccines to save people’s lives and educate their communities toward lifestyle choices and control measures that reduce their risk of cancer,” Cary Adams, UICC’s chief executive, said in a commentary on the report.

Other cancer-causing infections include hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Epstein Barr, a herpes-type virus transmitted by saliva.

The experts said the risk of developing cancer could potentially be reduced by up to 40 percent if full immunization and prevention measures were deployed and combined with simple lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, eating healthily, limiting alcohol intake and reducing sun exposure.

Hill said national health authorities should also work to dispel widespread myths about cancer, in particular a sense of fatalism felt by many people in the face of the disease.

As part of this, the UICC is launching a campaign called “Cancer can be prevented too” on World Cancer Day on February 4 to encourage people to face up to the fact that smoking, poor diet and some infections carry high cancer risks.

European cancer experts issued a report last year warning that a wave of cancer now threatens developing countries, estimating that around half of the 12.4 million new cases in 2008 occurred in low and middle income countries.

Despite the availability of so much scientific knowledge about the disease’s causes, Hill said there was great concern among health experts that “the opportunity to prevent this huge escalation of cancer may be

The acai berry is getting a lot of attention in the news lately…Dr. Perricone, who is an avid supporter of the Acai’s  Health News , was a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show when he listed the top 10 foods everyone should consume to help you look and age better!

He described the acai berry, which was one of the 10 foods, as “an almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle function.”

This little, dark, purple berry is loaded with antioxidants, healthy monosaturated fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols that help promote cardiovascular and digestive health.

This berry is packed with a natural complex of B vitamins, vitamins A, C, and E, omega-3 fatty acids, anthocyanin (an antioxidant), zinc, potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, calcium and especially phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are plant based nutrients that help guard and protect the immune system.

The Acai berry contains the highest recorded ORAC value of any fruit or vegetable tested to date. A high ORAC value fights against the free radicals that can cause declining joint function and mobility as we get older.

Some of the other Acai benefit / Health News that people have reported:

Skin tone: Youthful, healthier-looking skin.

Healthier eyes: Better night vision

Greater energy /stamina.

Improved mental focus.

Improved digestion.

Improved sexual function.

Better sleep

Improved circulation

The acai berry also has been discussed in many of the Health News :

High levels of antioxidants, which help us, fight colds and flu

High levels of dietary fiber.

High levels of essential amino acids and trace minerals.

High levels of plant sterols, which have been shown to help control cholesterol.

Essential fatty acids that resemble olive oil, which have been shown to help fight heart disease.