'Change your lifestyle and cut cancer risk by one third,' say experts

Experts say this amounts to 95,000 people a year, more than enough to fill Wembley.

Professor Martin Wiseman of the World Cancer Research Fund said: "When health charities talk about numbers, it can often be difficult to comprehend what that means.

"We hope that by comparing it to something easier to imagine, like the capacity of Wembley, we can show the scale of the problem."

The WCRF estimate comes amid concern that growing waistlines, coupled with binge-drinking, lack of exercise and poor diet are fuelling cancer.

Cases of womb cancer – which is twice as common in the obese – have risen by a fifth over the past decade while kidney cancer, also linked to obesity, went up by 14 per cent.

Cancer prevention advice includes staying slim, exercising at least half an hour a day and eating more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses.

The WCRF's estimate of the number of preventable cancer cases follows concern that growing waistlines, coupled with lack of exercise and binge drinking, are fuelling the disease.

Cases of mouth cancer, which is associated with smoking and drinking, have increased by almost a quarter in a decade.

The number of cases of womb cancer - which is twice as common in the obese - rose by a fifth in the same period.

Cases of kidney cancer, which is also linked to obesity, went up by 14 per cent, recent figures compiled by Cancer Research UK show.

Almost 285,000 people are diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year and nearly 155,000 die.

Professor Wiseman, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists, said "We need to remember that for every single one of these cases, there is a devastating impact on the lives of people who are diagnosed and also on their families, not to mention the financial cost of treatment.

"This is why we need to do more to promote the message that with relatively simple changes, people can make a real difference to their cancer risk."

Cancer prevention advice includes being as lean as possible without becoming underweight, exercising for at least half an hour a day and eating more fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses.

Smokers are advised to quit, intake of alcohol should be limited to one or two drinks a day and skin should be covered in the sun.

A landmark report issued by the World Cancer Research Fund last year also recommended avoiding processed meat - and limiting intake of red meat to 18oz (500g) a week - the equivalent of three steaks.