Cancer - General

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General Cancer

Cancer Prevention Overview (PDQ®)

"The summaries in the cancer prevention section of PDQ address the prevention of specific types of cancer. Prevention is defined as the reduction of cancer mortality via reduction in the incidence of cancer. This can be accomplished by avoiding a carcinogen or altering its metabolism; pursuing lifestyle or dietary practices that modify cancer-causing factors or genetic predispositions; and/or medical intervention (chemoprevention) to successfully reverse preneoplastic changes. Much of the promise for cancer prevention comes from observational epidemiologic studies that show associations between modifiable lifestyle factors or environmental exposures and specific cancers. … The most consistent finding, over decades of research is the strong association between tobacco use and cancers of many sites. Hundreds of epidemiologic studies have confirmed this association. Further support comes from the fact that lung cancer death rates in the United States have mirrored smoking patterns with increases in smoking followed by dramatic increases in lung cancer death rates, and more recently decreases in smoking followed by decreases in lung cancer death rates in men. Infections may also be associated with cancer development. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a necessary event for subsequent cervix cancer, and vaccine-conferred immunity results in a marked decrease in precancerous lesions. … Additional examples of modifiable cancer risk factors include alcohol consumption (associated with increased risk of oral, esophageal, breast, and other cancers), physical inactivity (associated with increased risk of colon, breast, and possibly other cancers), and obesity (associated with colon, breast, endometrial, and possibly other cancers). Observational evidence shows associations between alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and obesity and increased incidence of certain cancers."

Highlighted Articles

Vitamin D and Sunlight: Strategies for Cancer Prevention and Other Health Benefits. (Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2008) “Lack of sun exposure and vitamin D deficiency have been linked to many serious chronic diseases, including autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease, and deadly cancers. It is estimated that there is a 30 to 50% reduction in risk for developing colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer by either increasing vitamin D intake to least 1000 IU/d vitamin D or increasing sun exposure to raise blood levels of 25(OH)D >30 ng/ml. Most tissues in the body have a vitamin D receptor. The active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, is made in many different tissues, including colon, prostate, and breast. It is believed that the local production of 1,25(OH)2D may be responsible for the anticancer benefit of vitamin D. Recent studies suggested that women who are vitamin D deficient have a 253% increased risk for developing colorectal cancer, and women who ingested 1500 mg/d calcium and 1100 IU/d vitamin D3 for 4 yr reduced risk for developing cancer by >60%.”

Vitamin D and prevention of breast cancer: Pooled analysis. (J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2007) "CONCLUSIONS: Intake of 2000IU/day of Vitamin D(3), and, when possible, very moderate exposure to sunlight, could raise serum 25(OH)D to 52ng/ml, a level associated with reduction by 50% in incidence of breast cancer, according to observational studies."

Sun Exposure and Prostate Cancer Risk: Evidence for a Protective Effect of Early-Life Exposure (Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 2007) "These findings suggest that, in addition to sun exposure in adulthood, sun exposure in early life protects against prostate cancer."

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NCI - General Cancer Prevention Information (includes specific cancers)

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Cancer - General

General Information

NEWS:

Alcohol may Encourage Cancer Progression “ "Alcohol consumption is known to increase the risk of several cancers, including cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, liver, colon, rectum, and, in women, the breast," Christopher B. Forsyth, assistant professor of medicine and biochemistry at Rush University Medical Center, was quoted as saying. "We also suspect an association with cancers of the pancreas and lung. However, the mechanisms by which alcohol increases the risk for these cancers have not been established. EMT is an active area of cancer research and growing evidence supports a role for EMT during cancer progression and metastases for several cancer types but previously not for alcohol-associated cancers." “

Cancer Incidence and Mortality Rates Declining in US

Cancer Patients Struggle with Insomnia

High-Fat Diet Dramatically Increases Cancer Metastasis “Although the link between obesity and cancer is well established, exactly why there is a link remains unclear. Now, an animal study shows that a high-fat diet dramatically increases cancer metastasis, and offers a mechanistic explanation for what has been, up to now, anecdotal evidence. … "If the cancer cells don't have excess lipids, they stick together and form very tight junctions in tumors, but increasing lipids causes them to take on a rounded shape and separate from each other," Dr. Le explained. The team further demonstrated that linoleic acid, which is predominant in polyunsaturated fats, causes increasing membrane phase separation, whereas oleic acid, found in monounsaturated fats, does not.”

Lupus linked to heart disease

Tiny ovarian tumors can lurk for years “Tiny ovarian tumors lurk in the Fallopian tubes for an average of four years before they grow large enough to be detected, researchers reported on Monday in a study that explains why diagnosis usually comes too late to save a woman's life. They said they were trying to find ways to improve testing for the cancer, one of the deadliest because it is so hard to detect before it has spread.”

Weight loss may be a sign of cancer “Gradual weight loss may be a symptom of cancer, particularly in colon, kidney and lung cancer, Germany's cancer society has found. As tumours grow, they deprive the body of so much nutrition that weight loss results, said Eva Kalbheim, a spokeswoman for the cancer society. She therefore recommends regular preventative check-ups. And people who lose weight without trying or without changing their lifestyle should see a doctor quickly. "Other unspecific symptoms provide important clues: Back pain points to a kidney problem, while coughing in the morning indicates a problem in the lungs," Kalbheim said. Blood tests and ultrasound provide further insight. … "Tumours in the oesophagus or throat cause the path that food takes to become narrow," said Pirlich. Eating can cause intense pain. Tumours in the pancreas on the other hand are accompanied by a loss of appetite. In addition the tumours grow protein molecules that uncontrollably breakdown muscle tissue. Although there have been few studies to date, specialists assume that weight loss has a grave implications for therapy. "For one thing the dose of medication must match the patient's lower body weight," said Arends. That lengthens the therapy, and thus the strain on the patient. "There are indications that patients who have experienced considerable weight loss clearly suffer more side effects, are more likely to interrupt their chemotherapy and their tumours respond poorly.”

ARTICLES:

Cancer: When Do You Need a Second Opinion, and Why?

Understanding Cancer - Symptoms

JOURNAL ARTICLES:

Calcium, vitamin D and cancer. (Anticancer Res. 2009) “A low vitamin D status and inadequate calcium intake are important risk factors for various types of cancer. Ecological studies using solar UV-B exposure as an index of vitamin D3 photoproduction in the skin found a highly significant inverse association between UV-B and mortality in fifteen types of cancer. Of these, colon, rectal, breast, gastric, endometrial, renal and ovarian cancer exhibit a significant inverse relationship between incidence and oral intake of calcium. In addition, lung and endometrial cancer as well as multiple myeloma are considered calcium and vitamin D sensitive.”

Dietary Fatty Acids and Pancreatic Cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. (J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009)

Green tea (Camellia sinensis) for the prevention of cancer. (Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009)

Lifestyle, genes, and cancer. (Methods Mol Biol. 2009) “It is estimated that almost 1.5 million people in the USA are diagnosed with cancer every year. However, due to the substantial effect of modifiable lifestyle factors on the most prevalent cancers, it has been estimated that 50% of cancer is preventable. Physical activity, weight loss, and a reduction in alcohol use can strongly be recommended for the reduction of breast cancer risk. Similarly, weight loss, physical activity, and cessation of tobacco use are important behavior changes to reduce colorectal cancer risk, along with the potential benefit for the reduction of red meat consumption and the increase in folic acid intake. Smoking cessation is still the most important prevention intervention for reducing lung cancer risk, but recent evidence indicates that increasing physical activity may also be an important prevention intervention for this disease. The potential benefit of lifestyle change to reduce prostate cancer risk is growing, with recent evidence indicating the importance of a diet rich in tomato-based foods and weight loss. Also, in the cancers for which there are established lifestyle risk factors, such as physical inactivity for breast cancer and obesity for colorectal cancer, there is emerging information on the role that genetics plays in interacting with these factors, as well as the interaction of combinations of lifestyle factors.”

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