to think people who think cancer is caused by lifestyle choices are ignorant?

[user19201881]

I have a work colleague who thinks that cancer is always caused by lifestyle choices - drinking, smoking, obesity etc. I have had cancer and find this sort of attitude quite upsetting.
I know of 6 people under the age of 40 who have/had cancer and none of them smoke, rarely drink and are not obese. It can't just be down to lifestyle otherwise children wouldn't get cancer.

Smoking, drinking, too much sugar.... these increase livelihoods of getting cancer though 😪

Some cancers are closely associated with specific exposures.

Many have obesity and smoking as important risk factors.

But plenty are just utterly random

And whatever the cause (known or unknown) it's shit for the person who has it

Evidence shows those things can increase the risk of certain cancers.

As does too much sun and no sunscreen. Some cancers are more likely to develop due to lifestyle. But obviously many are just bad luck, and nothing can prevent it.

It's obviously not always lifestyle, babies get cancer.

Some are bad luck, some are massively affected by lifestyle (eg: lung cancer and smoking)

Your colleague is talking out of their backside! Yes, things like smoking, being overweight, etc., can contribute to cancer, but they are definitely NOT the sole cause, and next time she starts pontificating, I'd tell her to shut her mouth before she causes serious offence, but that's just me.

I have had cancer caused by a genetic mutation which makes certain types of cancer more likely - Lynch Syndrome. That is something I can't change through lifestyle changes, I was born with it. Your colleague is correct that cancer can be caused by lifestyle factors, but they are incorrect to say all.

Sometimes lifestyle is a contributing factor. But it isn’t the only factor and to suggest that it is is over-simplifying, inaccurate and unfair. Your colleague sounds tactless.

Have they never heard of the BRCA gene?

6 people under 40?? 😲

Wow, either you know a lot of people, or you've been very unfortunate. I've never known anybody under 40 get cancer. Obviously I know it happens, but I wouldn't have thought it was that common.

But some cancers have a scientifically proven link to lifestyle. Lung and bladder are linked heavily to smoking as an example.

It can't just be down to lifestyle otherwise children wouldn't get cancer

Cancer is not one disease.

Children tend to get the cancers that are not associated with lifestyle factors. And of course may adults get those cancers too. But adults also get those where such factors do matter, and get them in higher numbers when the exposure is unregulated.

So 10% of lung cancers unrelated to smoking in a population where around 30-40% of the population smoke (roughly UK at present). In a population where no-one smokes, the lung cancer rate would be sharply smaller (90% of cases simply wouldn't happen) but 100% would be unrelated to smoking.

You can't be sure a healthy lifestyle will mean you never have cancer. But if you want to move the odds a bit in your favour: maintain normal weight, wear sunscreen, don't smoke, drink alcohol in moderation or not at all, keep active, avoid highly processed foods. It's not a guarantee - you can do all those things and still be unlucky as an individual.

But a population which does those things will have fewer cases

1 in 2 people will develop cancer.

Evidence shows those things can increase the risk of certain cancers.

which is different to all cancers are caused by lifestyle...

If I had a 5% risk of a type of cancer, then a lifestyle ufestyle factor (eg obesity) increased it to 7% .... that cancer wasnt caused by my weight.

People like to think "itll never happen to me" so overplay the increased risk to the point they believe "lung cancer is always caused by smoking".

A lot of cancers are due to lifestyle choices, many are not. It’s just a turn of the dice for many ppl

My husband was dx with cancer aged 32. He is at the gym 3 times a week, barely drank and smoked once for about 2 years as a teenager.
She's an idiot

Cancer is a mystery

Of course cancer isn’t always caused by lifestyle. But lifestyle can contribute. Lung cancer rates have decreased since smoking in public places was banned - that includes non-smokers too, due to reduction in passive smoking. Some cancers have hugely reduced due to changes in legislation, eg mesothelioma which is caused by asbestos exposure is now much rarer than in the 1970s. But it’s not always so straightforward and unfortunately some common cancers occur spontaneously in teetotal, non-smoking vegans just as they do in heavy drinkers who eat junk food. It’s very unlikely that anyone with breast or bowel cancer will have a cause identified, unless they have a syndrome or specific gene which hugely predisposes them to it. But at population level, a lot of cancers are found more commonly in drinkers/smokers/people who don’t exercise etc. It’s a smaller individual risk but it’s there. Personally I still drink alcohol even knowing it increases my cancer risk slightly. I’m not going to beat myself up about that.

I know a 4 year old, 18 year old, 23 year old and a 38 year old. Cancer doesn't care what age you are.

I'm under 40 and I have cancer.
I've known a handful of others in my life who have too, all before 40.
A variety of skin, bowel (that one was a fit healthy vegan) lymphoma, breast and brain tumour. All of us fairly healthy with low risk factors so it was quite surprising.

I'd be amazed if anyone thought ALL cancers are caused by lifestyle choices.

Most people know that some cancers are or can be caused by lifestyle choices.

My sister, who ran regularly, never smoked or drank died age 53 from oesophagus cancer.

It is generally an old man's disease, seen in heavy smokers. So yeah, definitely her lifestyle.

Some are, some aren’t!