Cancer continues to be one of the most serious health challenges around the world.
Scientists have long known that some lifestyle choices—like smoking, sun exposure, and diet—can raise the risk of getting cancer.
However, figuring out how much these choices matter compared to natural aging has been very difficult. This uncertainty has made it hard to know exactly why cancer happens in each person and how to design the best ways to prevent it.
Now, researchers at Yale University have taken a big step forward. Their new study looks deep into the DNA changes, or mutations, that cause cancer to grow. By analyzing 24 different types of cancer, they were able to study what percentage of these DNA mutations came from preventable factors, natural aging, or just random chance.
It’s been known for years that certain mutations in our genes can cause cells to grow out of control and form tumors. But the Yale researchers wanted to go further—they wanted to know how much of this was caused by things we can avoid, like tobacco or UV light, and how much came from internal processes we can’t control, like aging.
To do this, the team developed a new method to measure the impact of each mutation on cancer development. This allowed them to estimate how much of each type of cancer was due to outside factors versus natural aging or randomness.
Their findings showed that for cancers like skin cancer and bladder cancer, outside causes played a big role. But for cancers like prostate cancer and brain cancers called gliomas, aging and internal changes were more important.
This discovery could have a big impact on public health. If experts know which cancers are mostly caused by preventable factors, they can design better health campaigns and protective policies.
For example, people in certain jobs who are exposed to harmful chemicals could be monitored more closely. Or stronger warnings could be given about sun exposure and smoking.
The Yale study also helps move cancer prevention into a more personal space. By understanding which cancers are caused mostly by lifestyle and which ones are not, people can take action to lower their risk where possible. This kind of personalized prevention could lead to smarter choices and fewer cancer cases in the future.
Of course, the research is still ongoing. The study did not look at every type of genetic change. More complicated changes, like having extra copies of certain genes or whole chromosomes, were not fully covered. More studies will be needed to understand those pieces of the puzzle.
Still, this research is a major step in the right direction. It could help health officials detect cancer risks earlier and take action faster. With this kind of proactive approach, many cancers caused by lifestyle or environment might be stopped before they start.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about Scientists find important cause of pancreatic cancer and findings of Scientists find a big cause of liver cancer.
For more about cancer, please read studies about Research shows a surprising cause of cancer and findings of The surprising impact of anxiety drugs on pancreatic cancer survival.
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