.jpg)
Many of us may know someone who seems to be healthy on the surface but ended up getting diagnosed with cancer. They may eat well, exercise, and prioritize a good night’s sleep, but that didn’t stop the disease. Hearing this news can be shocking, as it’s not unreasonable to think of cancer as only affecting someone who doesn’t prioritize their health as much. While lifestyle choices can play a role in one’s cancer risk, a diagnosis often goes deeper than that.
Cancer is multifactorial
There are many different things that can play a role in cancer risk. And research shows that many cases are due to multiple overlapping factors—meaning cancer is complicated. It’s often caused by a multitude of risks that over time have the potential to lead to an uncontrolled growth of abnormal growth of cells.
- Genetics: Inherited gene mutations passed down through families, like BRCA1 or BRCA2, can put someone at an increased risk of cancer.
- Random mutation: Every day, our cells are naturally dividing and replicating. Each of these divisions carries a small chance of error. Over time, these random mutations can accumulate—even in people who live very healthy lives
- Environmental exposure: There are some things that we may come into contact with in our environment that are classified as carcinogenic and can increase one’s risk of cancer. These include air pollution, radon, benzene, formaldehyde, asbestos, radiation, and more. Studies show that certain chemicals in plastic, like BPA and phthalate can disrupt a person’s hormonal balance, which may lead to an increased risk of certain cancers like breast cancer.
- Chronic inflammation: Acute inflammation occurs to help us heal from an injury or to fight off an illness. But when inflammation becomes chronic, it can lead to DNA damage and an increased risk of cancer. Inflammation can occur even in people who appear “healthy.”
- Aging: While cancer can occur in people of all ages, the general risk tends to rise with age. This is due to accumulated cellular damage that occurs with time.
- Certain infections: Certain types of infections and bacteria can increase one’s risk of cancer. These include human papillomavirus (HPV), H. pylori (a bacterium that can infect the stomach lining), and hepatitis B and C.
- Diet: Some studies have linked a diet high in ultra processed foods with an increased risk of certain cancers. Others have found that those who consume large amounts of red meat or processed meat may be more at risk. A lack of fruits and vegetables, too little fiber, and too little calcium may also raise your risk.
- Sun exposure: Too much ultra violet radiation from sun exposure can damage DNA in your skin cells and put you at an increased risk of various types of skin cancer. Around 90% of non-melanoma skin cancer is caused by UV radiation exposure from the sun and 86% of melanomas.
- Smoking and tobacco exposure: Smoking is a leading cause of cancer and is linked to cancers of the lung, throat, bladder, pancreas, and more. Secondhand smoke exposure can also increase your risk.
- Alcohol consumption: Alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk of several cancers, including breast, liver, colorectal, and esophageal cancer. For some cancers, the risk increases with the more you drink, while others even small amounts can put you at risk.
- Body weight and metabolic health: Excess body fat and related metabolic changes have been associated with higher risks of certain cancers, including breast, colorectal, and endometrial cancer. A sedentary lifestyle has also been linked to an increased risk of at least 15 types of cancers.
What prevention can and can’t do
When it comes to cancer, your lifestyle habits can help reduce your risk but they don’t guarantee immunity from a diagnosis. Research shows that 42% of cancer cases and 45% of cancer deaths are linked to lifestyle risk factors, like poor diet, excess weight, and lack of physical activity. One study looking at data from US Cancer Statistics database from 2001 to 2018, around 19% of cancers were attributed to cigarette smoking, 7.8% to excess body weight, and 5.6% to alcohol consumption While others, show the impact of lifestyle habits, like walking 5,000 steps a day may reduce cancer risk by 11% and 16% for those taking 9,000 steps.
The research is clear that healthy habits can go a long way in helping to lower risk and improve outcomes. Thus, it’s important to take steps to do what you can to reduce your risk, such as reducing (or better yet, eliminating) alcohol consumption, prioritizing fruits and vegetables, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Why some cancers are “silent”
While some cancers may have some noticeable signs like breast cancer, which can present with a lump in the breast or nipple discharge others may not show until later stages. When symptoms of these “silent cancers” do appear, the disease may already be in more advanced stages, which is why some cancers are diagnosed later than expected.
Some examples of cancers that can be silent until they have progressed include:
- Kidney cancer: Often doesn’t produce symptoms in early stages. As a tumor grows or spreads, symptoms may begin to appear, which is why kidney cancer is sometimes detected later.
- Pancreatic cancer: This cancer typically has no symptoms until it has spread, which accounts to about 80% of cases not being diagnosed until later stages.
- Ovarian cancer: This cancer, which remains the most lethal of all gynecologic cancers, is typically diagnosed in late stages after its spread to other areas of the body.
- Certain brain tumors: Some brain tumors may not show obvious symptoms until they affect surrounding brain tissue. Symptoms in early stages may also be mistaken for other conditions.
Healthy habits still matter
Many people tend to think of health as a pass/fail. And it’s easy to succumb to the idea that if you end up with a disease like cancer, it’s your fault. But getting cancer does not mean you failed and it doesn’t mean that your past years of healthy choices were all for nothing.
Healthy behaviors can help ward off or reduce your risk of many conditions—not just cancer. In fact, those who do develop cancer, studies show that healthy lifestyles are often linked to better outcomes. For instance, in a study of people with high-risk breast cancer, those who prioritized proper nutrition, physical activity, and quitting smoking had a 58% lower mortality risk and 37% reduced risk of cancer recurrence. Additional research also found that higher fitness and muscle strength was associated with a 31% to 46% reduced risk of death in people with cancer.
Why knowing earlier may help
Detecting cancer early may help provide the best chance of gaining access to the most effective treatment and may offer a significantly better survival rate than for those who don’t get diagnosed until later stages. Some cancers, like breast, colon cancer or cervical cancer, have established screening tools, but most do not. And statistics show that 86% of cancer cases are either not caught by screening or don't have screening tests at all. For cancers without routine screening protocols, disease may progress quietly before symptoms appear.
Related: Where we’re winning and losing against cancer
Potentially identifying disease sooner often means:
- More treatment options
- Better prognosis
It’s important to keep up with your recommended screening guidelines from your doctor, like a mammogram, colonoscopy, and Pap test. And for those looking for an extra layer of proactiveness to complement those screenings, Prenuvo’s Whole Body Scan can help detect hundreds of conditions, including some tumors as early as stage 1. Prenuvo is designed to help detect certain cancers and other conditions sometimes before symptoms appear—while complementing, not replacing, guideline-based screenings.
To learn more about the benefits of whole body MRI, book a call with a member of our care team.
