Fighting Back at Cancer

Did you know that almost fifty percent of all cases of cancer are preventable? Enough research has been done to be able to define some of the risk factors for cancer—many of which can be changed by changing behaviors and ramping up detection of cancer. We now know a bit more about the evolution and natural history of cancer so that we can better understand the environment and prevent cancer.

More than seventy five percent of the cancers we get are connected to our personal environment, including things like pollution, exposure to toxins and carcinogens, our habits, the food we eat and our hygiene. We have some control over things like our smoking behaviors, chewing tobacco use, alcohol use, behavioral patterns, sexual activity and our diet.

For example, in women, the most common types of cancer include breast and uterine or cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is related to sexual activity and getting the HPV virus as a sexually transmitted disease. Now there is a vaccine that protects women against many types of HPV viruses. This can be preventative against cervical cancer. Breast cancer and uterine cancer can be prevented by avoiding obesity and by avoiding unopposed estrogen or estrogen replacement therapy. Eating a low fat diet can help as well. In addition, cervical cancer is associated with poor hygiene of the genital area and being of a lower socioeconomic class. There is much more cervical cancer in developing countries as there is in developed countries.

In men, about 49 percent of cancers are directly related to tobacco use. This behavior directly relates to cancer of the throat, the voice box (laryngeal cancer), esophageal cancer, and lung cancer. The risk of getting cancer of the mouth and throat is 84 times greater in those who use tobacco and the risk of getting lung cancer is 75 times greater in smokers.

The risk for certain cancers can be screened for genetically for those who might be at a hereditary risk of getting cancer. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can be screened for in high risk families and can indicate those who have a greater risk of breast cancer. These individuals can then be screened earlier and more often for breast cancer or can have prophylactic mastectomies.

Screening can play a role in prevention of advanced cancer. Colorectal screening with a colonoscopy or virtual CT colonoscopy can detect polyps. Through the colonoscope, the pre-cancerous polyp can be removed before it becomes a cancer. This makes colon cancer truly preventative.

Diet plays a role in many cancers. Eating too much meat and animal fat can be related to getting colon cancer, breast cancer and other cancers. Control of obesity can prevent breast cancer and several other cancers. A high fiber diet can lower your risk of colon cancer. Cancer prevention can happen with eating foods high in vitamin C, E and the carotenoids.