Almost 50% of Preventable Cancers Linked to Just Two Lifestyle Habits

[12thrits@mstdn.social]

@catsalad Well I quit smoking March 12, 1988 at 2:45 PM in the Puerto Vallarta airport, so I've reduced my chances by 50 percent, right?

Plus I quit drinking for a while a couple of years ago....

[pixx@merveilles.town]

@chillybot @catsalad

It does.

[cppguy@infosec.space]

@catsalad

The other figure (from the article) is that 38% of #cancer cases are considered preventable.

Presumably there's a dose–response effect, so the more you currently smoke and drink, the more you can improve your chances by giving up the booze and the evil weed; and presumably just cutting down, even if you don't stop, is better than nothing.

[the_tattoo_scientist@mastodon.social]

@catsalad one topic most people don’t feel comfortable to state that obesity is one of the largest risk factors, too. We need to stress this too, without shaming the people who are effected. Taxes need to be set in place and proper food & cooking needs to be addressed

[lritter@mastodon.gamedev.place]

@catsalad replaced alcohol with edibles to cheat death

[theorangetheme@en.osm.town]

@lritter @catsalad More cost-effective, too! Except for the snacks... ‍

[2ruth@mastodon.social]

@The_tattoo_scientist @catsalad I have to say it annoyed me when recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, that the specialist spoke at length about the risk factors of nicotine (fair enough), without saying ANYTHING about avoiding sugar or processed food, strength exercise to support joints, or the burden of excess weight

[zjb@mastodon.social]

哈哈，这标题起得挺唬人的，结果点进去发现就两件事。不过想想也对，烟酒确实是老生常谈的元凶了。

[nixcraft@mastodon.social]

@catsalad thnak you for saving me a click

[adamantichrist@mastodon.social]

@12thRITS @catsalad

Your risk of smoking related illness is now the same as for someone who never smoked. I'm not sure how much quitting drinking "for a while" helps tho

[mikeh@ice.sophari.org]

@catsalad Eating a healthy plant based diet will knock out another largish chunk: nutritionfacts.org/blog/fighting-cancer-with-whole-plant-foods/

[adamantichrist@mastodon.social]

@CppGuy @catsalad I haven't read it myself, but my sister who's a genetic counsellor told me she'd read a study which suggested that most cancers are due to random mutation. If the preventable part is reducing the risk of mutation (eg quitting meat to reduce bowel cancer risk) then maybe we have a bit more control over it.

[katalogeur@mastodon.social]

@catsalad

Meh. IF my single vice - which joys my every day shortens my days - fair trade. (Read Rubaiyat) And if not, then (Read Rumi). Can't take the sky away from me.

[dmtomas@mastodon.social]

@katalogeur @catsalad my wife and I once met our spirit animal, at the entrance to the supermarket. An old lady asked us for light, brought her cigarillos out and said “all my friends who worried about my smoking habits are now dead - I don’t, as that’s what gets you cancer - worrying”

[cppguy@infosec.space]

@adamantichrist @catsalad

I think you're right, and most #cancers are caused by random genetic mutation:

Family history and inherited cancer genes | Cancer Research UK

Some people have an increased risk of particular types of cancer because they have inherited a faulty gene.

(www.cancerresearchuk.org)

I also agree that certain carcinogens, from #tobacco smoke to ionising radiation to UV light to benzene, will increase that risk, and we owe it to ourselves to limit exposure to them. However, my understanding is that transcription errors creep in all the time as cells divide, and there's no way to stop it. So, if I'm right, we can reduce our lifetime chance of cancer, but we can't eliminate it.