A national survey on cancer has revealed that most Americans are confused about the disease. Researchers discovered that half of Americans fatalistically believe nearly everything causes cancer, one-fourth believe nothing can reduce a person's cancer risk and three-fourths find that advice on treating cancer is so confusing that it's hard to know what to do.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard School of Public Health did the study based on a telephone survey of 6,000 adults in 2003. The findings were published Thursday in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

The study's authors say research has shown that people can reduce their risk of getting cancer by not smoking, eating more fruits and vegetables and making sure that they keep their weight in the range that is normal for their height.

About one-third of U.S. cancer deaths are caused by smoking with another 14 percent to 20 percent caused by being overweight.

In addition, about 50 percent of all men and 33 percent of all women will have cancer, researchers say.