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.

I have a work colleague who thinks that cancer is always caused by lifestyle choices

Maybe she can expain why babies get cancer; or very old people who've had a long and healthy life.

For some people, her way of thinking is a safety method, like victim blaming. If they don't or do xyz, it won't happen to them. Re knowing people who've had cancer young, I've personally known three children (thankfully all survived) and a then 22 year old, who survived. My niece died from cervical cancer in her early 20's, partly because she was under the age of screening.

I have known a similar number. Children I went to school with, my close friend at uni, my cousin whilst pregnant and 4 boys in the past couple of years in my small town. All under 21 nevermind 40.

Sadly its not uncommon. I'm really suprised you have never come across it.

Op yanbu. Whilst clearly a direct link with certain cancers e.g smoking and lung cancer...most are random and nothing you can do to prevent them.

Yes -hugely ignorant.
My Father never smoked, rarely drank, ate well, and had three primary cancers.
Died from the third “benign” cancer -consultant said he’d die with, not because of it. Covid restrictions played their part, but the third primary killed him.
None of his primaries were caused by “lifestyle”.

I’m pretty sure my 6YO DS cancer isn’t caused by any lifestyle choice he has made. The same for all the babies and children we see each week at the children’s oncology unit. Your friend is a fucking idiot.

DH … non smoker, drank very little, ran marathons, ate healthily, very fit. Died aged 27 from cancer.

I'm 27 and I've already lost two friends my own age to cancer.

Your colleague is an ass. Otherwise why would young children get cancer

Your colleague is ignorant. Your thread title is slightly misleading though. Some cancers are caused by lifestyle choices. Just not... most.

My first DH died of a brain tumour in his forties. No 'lifestyle factors' involved.

Im afraid i have lost 4 friends to cancer
all of whom were under 40 .you are very lucky to have not experienced such loss.

I think it’s very normal to know others of a similar age who are in a similar situation which to many others would be very unusual.

I have dozens of friends whose child has died but I’ve met them as a direct result of my own child dying and we have bonded over being in the same awful situation.

I don’t know OP. She has a point, many cases are associated with various risk factors. And I say that as someone who was diagnosed with cancer at 40. I could blame it on my poor diet, ten years of smoking or my fondness for a glass of wine. Or else I could regard it simply as bad luck. Who knows?

She's daft if she spouts that all cancers are caused by lifestyle. I would also suggest it's pretty bad karma to be smug about that kind of stuff

One thing that really worries me about this idea that only fat, unfit, smokers and drinkers get cancer is that people who are none of the above possibly dismiss worrying early symptoms because they believe it won't happen to them because they live a 'healthy' lifestyle and so seek help late on. And then I worry a lot of health care professionals also think the same way and so also dismiss symptoms because someone is seen as fit and healthy.

A work colleagues mum died of lung cancer, never smoked in her life, didn't drink alcohol due to religious reasons and had a healthy diet. So yes it isn't always down to lifestyle.

Many are, many aren't, many might be but you'd never know for sure.

And just because something's "caused by lifestyle" doesn't necessarily mean you're to blame. The sunburn I had as a small child might give me skin cancer when I'm eighty. Thousands of former factory workers die of mesothelioma every year. The only way my generation could have avoided HPV and the risk of associated cancers was to stay virgins.

Of course lifestyle factors can increase your risk of some cancers.

There will always be outliers - the 106 year old who's chain smoked for decades and the 30 year old fitness fanatic vegan teetotaller who gets a a rare brain tumour.

What's your point?

You cant argue with stupid. Not worth even trying.

Some are and some aren’t. Plenty of healthy people get cancer, plenty on “unhealthy” people don’t.

My DFs was very much his choice of lifestyle, he choose to smoke and died of small cell lung cancer. There was also another term used, I can’t remember what it was but he was told by the Drs that it was caused by his smoking.

Some are, some aren't. You would BU to think all are caused by one or the other.

If only those extremely clever and motivated scientists knew the answer for the cause of each and every cancer, what a breakthrough that would be.

I work in advising on life insurance, etc. Statistically 1 in 2 will get cancer in their lifetime.

For women's critical illness claims 60% are cancer. The fifth most claimed critical illness is child critical illness, staggeringly high for cancer.

I'm mid 40's. Had cervical cancer in my 20s and just had a cancerous lump removed from my arm. My friend at 36 had breast cancer, my friend at 35 had leukaemia, I've had friends diagnosed under 30 with tonsil cancer, brain tumours (2 friends), another with breast and ovarian, another with ovarian, another with bowel cancer. 90% of these NOT dietary related or lifestyle related (non smokers/exceptionally fit mostly).

I've got info graphics somewhere but it is very sober reading.

Dad died from mesothelioma, his 'lifestyle choice' was working for one employer where he was exposed to asbestos. When DH was diagnosed with his cancer in 2020 four other friends had loved ones who were diagnosed at the same time, only one of them is still alive, one of those people diagnosed was a child who hadn't made any lifestyle choices likely to lead to an increased risk of cancer.

You obviously don't know a lot of people or read or watch TV. Are you living under a rock?

In high school three fellow pupils had cancer, one after the other. All survived. Sadly a good friend from school died of cancer in her early 30s. I know quite a few people who have had cancer. Some survived but not all. Some under the age of 40. It’s horrendous.

It's magical thinking your colleague indulges in to make her feel safe.

I could not personally be friends with her and would minimise speaking to her.

Attitudes like hers really piss me off.