Is cancer a lifestyle disease?

Neethu Sheri Kurian

Content Specialist
4baseCare

Cancer can be prevented by a few changes in lifestyle patterns and improves the quality of life. Obesity, inactivity, poor dietary quality, continued smoking and tobacco chewing are the main risk factors for cancer, its recurrence and cause of death. An estimated 30–40% of cancers can be prevented by changing the modifiable lifestyle and environmental risk factors.

Reduce weight! Don’t be obese

Obesity is a well-known risk factor for many types of cancers and also increasing the risk of its recurrence and death in patients of early stage breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, gastric and liver multiple myeloma, meningioma, ovarian cancer, renal cancer and cancer of gall bladder and thyroid. Researchers have suggested that Body Mass Index of ≥35 kg/m2 increases the risk of cancer in obese individuals.

Do Physical activity! Don’t be inactive

Physical activities can help reduce the risk of cancer and are even beneficial in cancer patients by improving their prognosis. Research has also supported that physical activities at a modest level can decrease the risk of cancer, its recurrence and death in the bladder, breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal adenocarcinoma, and gastric cardia. Women doing physical activities (>9 metabolic equivalent task hours/week of physical activity or walking for 3 h/wk) have 50% lower risk of breast cancer than inactive women (<1 hour physical activity/week).

In the case of prostate cancer, men who walked for ≥90 min/wk at a moderate-to-brisk pace had 46% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with men who performed less or slower-paced walking.

The American Cancer Society and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend ≥150 min/wk of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise to reduce the risk of cancer. They recommend that cancer survivors should incorporate moderate-intensity physical activity into their daily lives and walking is safe for the majority of patients with cancer.

Intake of healthy diet

Intakes of fiber, protein, and ingestion of a prudent dietary pattern (intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, salad and fish) are helpful for reducing the risk of cancer outcomes.

World Health Organization guidelines state that eating large amounts of processed meat could increase the risk of cancer. Diets higher in unsaturated fat are associated with an increased risk of cancer progression and death. Intake of tomato products, green tea, lycopene, omega-3 fatty acids, and soy isoflavones also decreased risk of cancers. Moreover, add olive oil instead of fat and fish instead of processed red meat to reduce the risk of cancers. Research also supports that low or no intake of dietary fat and low body weight decreases the risk of cancers like breast cancer and prostate cancer.

The American Cancer Society guidelines recommend intake of healthy diet, with at least five fruits and vegetables per day and limited or avoid the ingestion of processed foods and red meats.

Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption

Smoking is an established risk factor for lung, esophagus, oral, and head and neck cancers. Continuous smoking increases risk of both mortality and recurrence of these cancers compared with individuals who do not smoke. Risks of cancers are more in people who continue their smoke and drank at least seven alcoholic beverages per week. Alcohol consumption is not only the primary cause of liver cancer, but also for esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer and cancers of the mouth, throat, and larynx.

Get vaccinated

Certain type of vaccination also helpful for cancer prevention by protecting people from viral infections such as Hepatitis B which can increase the risk of liver cancer and Human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus, can lead to cervical and other genital cancers as well as squamous cell cancers of the head and neck.

Avoid risky activities

Cancer can be prevented by avoiding risky behaviors that might increase the risk of cancer like practice safe sex to avoid risk of anus, cervical cancer, liver, anus, penis, throat, vulva and vagina and lung.

REFERENCES :

1. Friedenreich CM, Ryder-Burbidge C, McNeil J. Physical activity, obesity and sedentary behavior in cancer etiology: epidemiologic evidence and biologic mechanisms. Mol Oncol. 2021;15(3):790-800.
2. Vijayvergia N, Denlinger CS. Lifestyle Factors in Cancer Survivorship: Where We Are and Where We Are Headed. J Pers Med. 2015;5(3):243-63.
3. Cancer prevention: 7 tips to reduce your risk – Mayo Clinic