New Study Links Lifestyle Recommendations to Reduced Cancer Risk

The effectiveness of cancer prevention guidelines in reducing cancer risk has been confirmed by a recent study.

The study published in the BMC Medicine, revealed that following cancer prevention guidelines such as maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and limiting alcohol and red meat consumption, can diminish the risk of developing cancer.

Although previous studies have examined the correlation between adherence to such recommendations and cancer risk, this is the first research to study how observing these guidelines impacts the risk of 14 separate types of cancer, according to the study author and a human nutrition researcher at Newcastle University, Fiona Malcomson, PhD.

Dr. Malcolmson elucidated that keeping up with the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF)/American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) cancer prevention guidelines is relevant to lowering cancer risk, with breast and colorectal cancer being particularly affected.

She also identified that even minimal changes, such as following one or two of the guidelines, could potentially influence cancer risk.

The study found considerable correlations between a healthier lifestyle in line with the guidelines and the risk of breast, colorectal, kidney, esophageal, ovarian, liver, and gallbladder cancers. However, no such association was found for prostate, lung, uterine, pancreatic, stomach, head and neck, or bladder cancer.

The research looked at how different lifestyle factors can influence cancer risk and also provided tips for making simple changes to follow prevention guidelines.

The researchers analyzed data from 94,778 people in the UK over eight years to understand how cancer prevention guidelines impact risk. During this period, 7,296 participants developed cancer.

Adherence scores ranging from 0 to 7 were designed to track how well the participants followed the cancer prevention recommendations, with one point assigned for full compliance, 0.5 for partial adherence, and 0 for non-compliance.

The average score was 3.8, and with each additional point in recommendation adherence score, a 7% lower risk of all cancers was observed.

Furthermore, every 1-point increase in adherence score saw reductions in risk for breast, colorectal, kidney, esophageal, liver, ovarian, and gallbladder cancers ranging from 10% to 30%.

Higher adherence scores brought about a bigger decrease in risk, with those scoring above 4.5 having a 16% lower risk for all cancers compared to individuals scoring 3.5 points or less.

The research team was struck by the significant impact of adhering to the recommendations on less common cancer types, and those with less evidence linking lifestyle and risk.

Other organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, provide similar guidelines for diet and exercise which have also proven effective at reducing the risk of certain cancers.

Regardless of the specific guidelines followed, adhering to the fundamental principles is crucial given the known links between lifestyle and cancer, states Loïc Le Marchand, MD, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center.

Crucial factors include smoking, which is responsible for 80–90% of lung cancers, lifestyle factors linked to 50% of colorectal cancers, and obesity, a significant risk factor for endometrial cancer.

Noelle LoConte, MD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, notes that most data on lifestyle effects on cancer risk highlight the benefits of preventing solid tumors found in organs. These include lung, breast, pancreas, and colon cancers.

Lifestyle choices like avoiding tobacco or limiting alcohol prevent cancer by reducing exposure to carcinogens, while others like exercise and a healthy diet are believed to enhance the immune system.

Dr. Malcomson notes that the cancer prevention recommendations in the study are based on the latest scientific evidence, such as the link between obesity in adults and various cancers. Additional research is needed to better understand the connection between body weight and cancer risk, especially compared to the effects of diet, according to Dr. LoConte.

“I think that obesity is often used as a scapegoat for a lot of illness, including cancer, and I am not totally convinced that body weight alone is the real culprit much of the time,” said LoConte.

In the future, Malcomson’s team wants to investigate whether following the recommendations is associated with improved survival in people who already have cancer, as well as whether or not any specific recommendations have a stronger correlation to preventing cancer.

At the end of the day, recommendations are just that—recommendations. Even if you stick to them perfectly, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll never develop cancer.

“I think the most common misconception I see is that if you do everything ‘right,’ you will eliminate your risk of cancer,” said LoConte. “Unfortunately, that isn’t true. You will lower your risk, but none of us can ever get to a zero risk of cancer.”

And, if you carry a cancer gene, lifestyle alone likely isn’t enough to lower your risk, she added.

In that case, it’s important to talk to your doctor about other proactive steps you may be able to take in addition to lifestyle interventions.

“The number of studies [showing recommendations work is] smaller for individuals with high genetic risk…but they suggest that a healthy lifestyle also decreases their chances to develop cancer,” said Le Marchand.

LoConte added that following the recommendations is also beneficial for aging, risk of heart and brain disease, and overall health—there are benefits beyond preventing cancer.