SEATTLE (AP) — Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys visited the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to talk with experts about possible connections between cancer and the environment.

"I feel like there are ties between the health of our Earth and the health of our people," said the 29-year-old singer, in Seattle on Monday as part of an eight-week North American tour.

Richardson, whose father died of colon cancer at age 49, recently started a foundation to explore the relationship between the environment and cancer.

"I feel like there’s a connection," Richardson said. "We’re still learning about that yet. But I feel in my heart there is a connection. I mean, we know that the more toxins you breathe, drink and eat, the higher the risk of cancer. The more carcinogens you put in your body, the higher the risk."

-- AllPop