Many cancers in the United States are affected by the choices people make in their daily lives. For example, spending too much time in the sun without protection can increase the risk of skin cancer. Smoking is another major risk factor and is known to cause lung cancer.
But for years, scientists have wondered how much of cancer is due to things we can control, like our habits and environment, and how much is simply caused by getting older or random changes in our genes.
A recent study from Yale University has brought new understanding to this question. Researchers looked at tumors from 24 different types of cancer. They wanted to see which types of genetic changes in the tumors came from things like sun exposure or tobacco smoke, and how much these changes contributed to the cancer’s growth.
They found that not all cancers are caused in the same way. Some cancers are more influenced by lifestyle and environmental factors, while others mostly happen because of aging and natural genetic changes that can’t be avoided. For example, cancers of the bladder and skin were strongly linked to preventable exposures.
This means people can lower their risk by changing certain habits, such as avoiding tanning beds or quitting smoking. On the other hand, prostate cancer and certain brain cancers, like gliomas, were more likely caused by aging and internal changes that happen as we get older.
One exciting part of this research is that it could help find hidden environmental dangers. If people in a certain job or area have higher rates of cancer, this method might show if they are being exposed to harmful substances. This could help public health experts figure out what’s causing the cancer and take steps to fix the problem before more people are affected.
The researchers also explained that their study didn’t look at every type of genetic change. Some complicated changes, like duplicated genes or extra copies of chromosomes, were not part of the current research. So, there’s still more to learn about how all these changes work together to cause cancer.
Even with these limits, the study is important. It helps show which cancers might be prevented by making better lifestyle choices and which are more connected to aging.
This information could help doctors and health leaders take earlier action to protect people, especially those in higher-risk groups. For example, if scientists learn that a certain group is more likely to develop a preventable type of cancer, they can create programs to raise awareness and reduce the risk.
The research was led by Jeffrey Townsend and his team and published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution. It’s another step forward in understanding how cancer starts and how we might stop it before it grows.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that low-carb diet could increase overall cancer risk, and new way to increase the longevity of cancer survivors.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to fight cancer with these anti-cancer superfoods, and results showing daily vitamin D3 supplementation may reduce cancer death risk.
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