Leading risk for cancer revealed – and it’s not smoking, alcohol or the sun

It isn't something that can be avoided.

Asking most people what causes cancer would most likely give you the following answers: smoking, alcohol, the sun, or some other element that you can avoid.

This, however, doesn’t seem to be the case after all.

The biggest risk factor it seems is one which we cannot avoid, and that is ageing.

As per Cancer Research UK, the risk of cancer gets higher as we age because "over time, the cells in our body become damaged. Cancer develops when damage in the same cell builds up."

"Some of this damage happens by chance during normal cell activity. But cell damage is also caused by things outside the body, such as the chemicals in cigarette smoke, alcohol and too much UV radiation from the sun.

"Often our body repairs the damage, or damaged cells self-destruct. But sometimes the damage in a cell builds up, and the cell starts to behave differently. This is when it can grow out of control and develop into a cancer.

"As we age, there’s more time for damage in our cells to build up, making cancer more likely."

Where cancer is most common in older people

In Canada, for example, cancer is one of the most common diseases in older adults and one of the most common diseases overall.

What this means is that we need to think about how to provide the best cancer care for older adults.

According to international guidelines, including those from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, all older adults should have a geriatric assessment prior to making a decision about their cancer treatment.

For an older adult, consultation with a geriatrician allows the oncologist and the older adult to engage in a conversation about cancer treatment, armed with information.

This includes things like how treatment might affect their cognition, their function, their existing illnesses (which most older adults have when they are diagnosed with cancer), and the years of remaining life.

The preventable causes of cancer

Now, compared to ageing, which none of us mortals can escape, there are preventable causes of the terrible disease.

There are several major preventable cancer causes which were highlighted by Cancer Research UK.

These include:

• Smoking: The leading preventable cause, accounting for roughly 15% of all cases and the vast majority of lung cancers.

• Obesity: Being overweight is the second biggest contributor, increasing the risk of 13 different types of cancer (including bowel, kidney, and breast cancer).

• Sun & UV: Excessive sun exposure and the use of sunbeds significantly increase the risk of melanoma skin cancer.

• Alcohol: The less you drink, the lower your risk, as excessive consumption is linked to several types of cancer.

• Diet & Inactivity: Processed foods, red meat, high-salt diets, and a lack of regular physical activity raise your overall risk.

• Infections: Certain viruses, such as HPV, can significantly elevate cancer risks Cancer Research UK.

• Vaping: Emerging research has also linked the long-term use of certain nicotine vapes to the formation of hazardous chemicals and cancer risks.