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Cited by 2,632Cancer Risks and FactorsGlobal Cancer Incidence and ScreeningNutritional Studies and Diet

Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes

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Anand, Preetha, Kunnumakara, Ajaikumar B., Sundaram, Chitra, Harikumar, Kuzhuvelil B., Tharakan, Sheeja T., Lai, Oiki S., Sung, Bokyung, Aggarwal, Bharat B.·2008·Pharmaceutical Research
DOI 10.1007/s11095-008-9661-9PMC PMC2515569
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Abstract

This year, more than 1 million Americans and more than 10 million people worldwide are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, a disease commonly believed to be preventable. Only 5-10% of all cancer cases can be attributed to genetic defects, whereas the remaining 90-95% have their roots in the environment and lifestyle. The lifestyle factors include cigarette smoking, diet (fried foods, red meat), alcohol, sun exposure, environmental pollutants, infections, stress, obesity, and physical inactivity. The evidence indicates that of all cancer-related deaths, almost 25-30% are due to tobacco, as many as 30-35% are linked to diet, about 15-20% are due to infections, and the remaining percentage are due to other factors like radiation, stress, physical activity, environmental pollutants etc. Therefore, cancer prevention requires smoking cessation, increased ingestion of fruits and vegetables, moderate use of alcohol, caloric restriction, exercise, avoidance of direct exposure to sunlight, minimal meat consumption, use of whole grains, use of vaccinations, and regular check-ups. In this review, we present evidence that inflammation is the link between the agents/factors that cause cancer and the agents that prevent it. In addition, we provide evidence that cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes.

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  • Obesity causes chronic low-grade inflammation and is closely related with chronic inflammatory diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and T2D, and some cancers, such as breast, liver and colon cancers.

    “Obesity causes chronic low-grade inflammation and is closely related with chronic inflammatory diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and T2D and some cancers, such as breast, liver and colon cancers (233, 302–304).”

    From IL-6 in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer (2021) · cites this paper as [233]

    The Obesity section (page unavailable) links obesity with inflammation and reports associations with colon, liver, and breast cancer mortality, specifying postmenopausal women for breast cancer. The Conclusions (page unavailable) also identify obesity as a risk factor that activates an inflammatory pathway. Our copy does not establish that obesity causes chronic low-grade inflammation or link it specifically to cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Only 5-10% of all cancers are due to an inherited gene defect, and the remaining 90-95% have their roots in an environment and lifestyle that are intimately related with chronic inflammation.

    “Even in cancer development, it is now known that only 5–10% of all cancers are due to an inherited gene defect, and the remaining 90–95% have their roots in an environment and lifestyle that are intimately related with chronic inflammation (233).”

    From IL-6 in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer (2021) · cites this paper as [233]

  • Lifestyle changes, rather than germline mutations, drive increased cancer risk in modern societies.

    “Lifestyle changes, but not germline mutations, drive increased cancer risk in modern societies (Anand et al., 2008).”

    From Circadian Homeostasis of Liver Metabolism Suppresses Hepatocarcinogenesis (2016) · cites this paper as Anand et al., 2008

  • Exposure to infectious agents, UV radiation, toxic substances, individual diet and lifestyle strongly influences cancer rise, although the risk mainly depends on dose, duration, combination of such injuries, and individual genetic background.

    “For example, the exposure to infectious agents, UV radiation and toxic substances, individual diet and lifestyle, strongly influences cancer rise, although the risk mainly depends on the dose, the duration and the combination of such injuries, coupled with the individual genetic background [5].”

    From Gut Microbiota and Cancer: From Pathogenesis to Therapy (2019) · cites this paper as [5]

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Authors
Anand, P., Kunnumakara, A. B., Sundaram, C., Harikumar, K. B., Tharakan, S. T., Lai, O. S., Sung, B., & Aggarwal, B. B.
Affiliations
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (US)
Corresponding author
Aggarwal, Bharat B.
ORCID
Venue
Pharmaceutical Research
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2008-07-15
Volume
25
Issue
9
Pages
2097-2116
ISSN
  • 0724-8741 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-904X
DOI
10.1007/s11095-008-9661-9
PMC
PMC2515569
OpenAlex
W2151028908
Cited by
2,632
References
127
Citations by year
2026: 58 · 2025: 158 · 2024: 221 · 2023: 223 · 2022: 185 · 2021: 185 · 2020: 181 · 2019: 163 · 2018: 159 · 2017: 265 · 2016: 158 · 2015: 125 · 2014: 188 · 2013: 180 · 2012: 78
FWCI
3.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Update notices
correction (2008-07-30)
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Pharmaceutical Research (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Risks and Factors
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Global Cancer Incidence and Screening
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
Keywords
cancer prevention, lifestyle factors, environmental carcinogens, smoking, diet and cancer, alcohol consumption, sun exposure, obesity, physical inactivity, inflammation, caloric restriction, physical activity, cancer screening
MeSH terms
Alcohol Drinking, Diet, Dietary Fiber, Environmental Pollutants, Fruit, Humans, Infections, Life Style, Neoplasms, Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced, Obesity, Plant Extracts, Risk Factors, Smoking, Vegetables, Vitamins, Exercise, Anticarcinogenic Agents, Caloric Restriction, Risk Reduction Behavior

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