B.C. has lowest cancer rates: report

British Columbia still has the lowest rates of diagnosis for new cancers and the fewest deaths from the disease of any province in the country, says a new report released Wednesday by the Canadian Cancer Society

It's all about lifestyle, says society spokeswoman Cathy Adair, noting that British Columbians smoke less than other Canadians, have the lowest rates of obesity and exercise the most.

She said 50 per cent of cancers are preventable, with increased physical activity and less exposure to tobacco smoke.

The study shows lung cancer is still the deadliest form of the disease. And Adair noted that B.C. has laws in place that help build a healthy lifestyle by by discouraging smoking.

"We saw that smoking rates really started coming down once policies like banning smoking in public places, increasing taxation — a couple of examples — came into place."

Adair is urging more women be screened for breast cancer and men to have their prostates checked, noting that those cancers are diagnosed most often in Canada and have good rates of survival if spotted early.

She also says parents still have to drill the benefits of a healthy lifestyle into their children, with more education and healthy food in schools.