According to Dr Tandon, smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of cancer worldwide and is responsible for nearly 30 percent of all cancer deaths.
Passive smoking also poses significant danger, as living with a smoker raises a non-smoker’s lung cancer risk by up to 30 percent.
“The window for action is wider than most people think,” he noted, as he listed the lifestyle habits that significantly increase the cancer risk.
The role of diet When it comes to avoiding cancer, diet has a major role to play, yet it is often ignored, noted Dr Tandon.
Processed meats (bacon, sausages, deli cuts): just 50 grams a day - roughly two rashers of bacon - raises colorectal cancer risk by around 18 per cent.
According to Dr Tandon, smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of cancer worldwide and is responsible for nearly 30 percent of all cancer deaths. Passive smoking also poses significant danger, as living with a smoker raises a non-smoker’s lung cancer risk by up to 30 percent.
He shared with HT Lifestyle that the biggest culprits behind cancer diagnosis are everyday habits, which include food, sleep , movement, etc. “The window for action is wider than most people think,” he noted, as he listed the lifestyle habits that significantly increase the cancer risk.
While the danger is very real, Dr Ruchir Tandon, senior consultant of medical oncology at ShardaCare-Healthcity, reminded us that 40 percent of all cancers are preventable, as per the World Health Organisation.
Also Read | Do you have greasy flakes on nose and scalp? Dermatologist explains what you are doing wrong
Prevention is better than cure for all diseases, but it probably rings the truest for cancer. Even with modern medical treatments, a cancer diagnosis is often considered a death sentence in households, and with good reason.
“The damage extends well beyond the lungs,” warned Dr Tandon. “Tobacco smoke is linked to cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas.”
The good news is that the risk is lowered very fast when one quits smoking. “Within five years of stopping, the risk of several tobacco-related cancers drops substantially, and the benefit holds regardless of how long someone has smoked,” shared the oncologist.
Weight, movement and sitting still Dr Tandon considers obesity to be the second leading preventable cause of cancer after tobacco, and something that is on the rise in India.
“Excess fat tissue is not passive - it produces oestrogen, insulin-like growth factors and inflammatory chemicals that actively create conditions for tumours to develop,” he explained. “It is linked to at least 13 cancer types, including breast (post-menopause), colon, endometrium, kidney and oesophagus.”
The best way to deal with this is to exercise. As per Dr Tandon, “Just 150 minutes of moderate activity per week - a brisk 30-minute walk five days a week is associated with a 10 to 20 percent lower risk of colon, breast and endometrial cancers.”
“The mechanism involves reduced insulin resistance, lower circulating oestrogen and less systemic inflammation,” he explained.
However, people who work for long hours sitting at a desk have an added risk. “Sitting for eight or more hours a day raises colorectal and endometrial cancer risk independently, even in people who exercise at other times,” noted the oncologist.
The role of diet When it comes to avoiding cancer, diet has a major role to play, yet it is often ignored, noted Dr Tandon. He shared a list of commonly consumed products and their associated risk with cancer, which are presented as follows.
Processed meats (bacon, sausages, deli cuts): just 50 grams a day - roughly two rashers of bacon - raises colorectal cancer risk by around 18 per cent.
Red meat: classified as a probable carcinogen (Group 2A). High consumption is most strongly associated with bowel cancer.
