Sociodemographic characteristics of the sample.

Despite extensive research on cancer etiology, many cancers remain associated with preventable risk factors. Raising public awareness of these factors is critical for promoting preventive behaviors. This study aimed to assess university students’ awareness of both scientifically validated and mythical cancer causes, to identify sociodemographic and health/lifestyle-related factors associated with awareness levels, and to examine the relationship between awareness of evidence-based and mythical cancer risk factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 896 students from three Universities in Turkey. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) and Cancer Awareness Measure – Mythical Causes Scale (CAM-MYCS), which evaluates belief in widely held but scientifically unsubstantiated cancer causes (e.g., microwave ovens, stress, artificial sweeteners, electromagnetic frequencies). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Spearman’s correlation, and multiple linear regression. Participants demonstrated significantly higher awareness of scientifically established cancer causes (70.7%) compared to mythical ones (10.2%). A moderate negative correlation was observed between CAM and CAM-MYCS scores (r = −0.511; p