LIFESTYLE CHOICES AFFECTING CANCER

Nadia W

Cancer is one of the most common diseases of developed countries, being

responsible for one in every four deaths. Cancer is thought to start when changes

occur in the genes that control cell division. It is a result of uncontrolled mitosis,

where cancerous cells divide repeatedly, out of control and results in a tumour –

which is an irregular mass of cells.

Agents that cause cancer are known as carcinogens. These carcinogens

include ionizing radiation, many chemicals and viruses. It is these carcinogens

that includes our lifestyle choices.

Cigarette smoking remains one of the most infamous cause of cancer. An

estimated 180,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer each year in the

United States alone. 96% of them are cigarette smokers and 90% of them are

predicted to be dead in three years after the verdict. There are at least 80 cancer

causing chemicals in a single cigarette. These chemicals include; tar, arsenic,

benzene, and etc.

Tar is a collection of solid particles that is inhaled by smokers when they

light up a cigarette. It is a mixture of a lot of chemicals, including many of which

can cause cancer. When tar is settled, it leaves a sticky, black residue that can

stain smoker’s teeth, fingers and lungs. However tar is not the only dangerous

chemicals present in cigarettes. Small amounts of arsenic can accumulate in

smokers’ bodies and build up to higher concentrations over a long period of time.

It can worsen the effect of other chemicals by interfering with our ability to

repair our DNA.

While it is long known that cigarettes play a huge role in cancer, scientists

are now realizing that diet, body weight and regular exercise can protect us

against cancer.

Perhaps the strongest evidence of the importance of lifestyle in cancer is

that the most common cancers are more apparent in countries with higher

obesity rates such as the United States. It is also known that since the Japanese

have begun to adopt a Western lifestyle, the rates of colon, breast and prostate

cancer have increased drastically.

Diet, physical inactivity, and obesity are elated to approximately 30-35%

of all cancer cases. Obesity is the second most important factor in causing cancer

after tobacco, and there is evidence that maintaining a healthy weight will help

us prevent the disease. A study by the American Cancer Society in 2003 found

that people with obesity, when compared to people of average build, had a

significantly increased risk of death from 10 different kinds of cancer in men, and

12 different kinds in women.

Being overweight causes your full fat cells to release chemicals that cause

inflammation, which can lead to cancer. Lack of fruit and vegetables deprives

people of the antioxidants that helps prevent cancer. The American Institute for

Cancer Research urges people to eat a healthy diet which includes a wide variety

of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. This is where people get their

nutrients, fiber and cancer fighting phytochemicals.

Recent studies have also shared the suggestion that, in order to use

exercise to reduce the risk of cancer, the more sweat the better. The more

beneficial exercises are the frequent and demanding sorts of exercise.

Researchers admit that they don’t know just how or why brisk exercise affects

risk of cancer or why only some types of cancer are affected.

Other lifestyle habits can also play a role in causing cancer such as

consuming excess alcohol and unprotected sex. Even things that are out of our

help affect cancer such as urban air pollution.

We now know just how much lifestyle choices affect the risk of cancer

developing. In order to take care of our body we should start changing our

lifestyle habits if change is necessary. The AICR recommendations for cancer

prevention include; being as lean as possible without becoming underweight,

being physically active for at least 30 minutes every day, avoiding sugary drinks

and eating more variety of vegetables. It is also recommended to avoid use of

cancer prevention pills as they do not really help preventing cancer.

Sources:

http://www.cancernet.co.uk/lifestyle.htm

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/phys-ed-does-

exercise-reduce-your-cancer-risk/

http://www.healthylivingconsumerguide.com/cancer_risks.html

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/06/14/your-

lifestyle-your-genes-and-cancer.html