My patients and friends often ask me on how to prevent cancer. Many asked about the newest research they read or found in internet. Unfortunately, many of those research are still in cell lines, animal studies or very early human studies. Furthermore, many of these research would not yield its early promised. I could vouch of this experience when my colleagues at UT Southwestern and I pioneered the first gene therapy in ovarian cancer in the world using adenovirus to reduce tumor growth. Despite early promises and reaching a phase III study in human, the experiment did not go further due to excessive toxicities
But I have good news. Actually there are things we know effectively prevent cancers. However, I must warn you that these are not as exciting as what you read in the internet. About 66% of cancer in the United States are related to smoking, overweight, poor diet, and inactivity. In one study, nine modifiable risks were identified as the cause of 35 percent of cancer deaths worldwide: smoking, alcohol, diet low in fruit and vegetables, excess weight, inactivity, unsafe sex, urban air pollution, use of solid fuels, and contaminated needles.
Thus, we could indeed reduce risks of cancer by one third (and other diseases too) by not smoking, maintain ideal body weight, active life and sensible diet. Wow... If you published a study using a newly discovered pill to reduce cancer by 1/3, you would have been famous. But in reality, we don't have that magic pill but we do have the power to reduce these cancer risks markedly by doing what our parents and teachers asked us to do. Do be healthy and have a happy active life...
Reference:
But I have good news. Actually there are things we know effectively prevent cancers. However, I must warn you that these are not as exciting as what you read in the internet. About 66% of cancer in the United States are related to smoking, overweight, poor diet, and inactivity. In one study, nine modifiable risks were identified as the cause of 35 percent of cancer deaths worldwide: smoking, alcohol, diet low in fruit and vegetables, excess weight, inactivity, unsafe sex, urban air pollution, use of solid fuels, and contaminated needles.
Thus, we could indeed reduce risks of cancer by one third (and other diseases too) by not smoking, maintain ideal body weight, active life and sensible diet. Wow... If you published a study using a newly discovered pill to reduce cancer by 1/3, you would have been famous. But in reality, we don't have that magic pill but we do have the power to reduce these cancer risks markedly by doing what our parents and teachers asked us to do. Do be healthy and have a happy active life...
Reference:
No comments:
Post a Comment