21 Reassuring Things Scientists Wish You Knew About Cancer with others 3 condition including prevention : ( courtecy;- reader's digest )
21
Reassuring Things Scientists Wish You Knew About Cancer
Michelle Crouch
America’s top scientists talk about the incredible progress
they’re making against the disease. They share their optimism—and reveal how
you can help.
New treatments are saving lives
VILevi/Shutterstock
The cancer death rate has declined 23 percent
since its peak in 1991. Right now, America’s biopharmaceutical companies are
working on more than 800 cancer medicines. “If you walk the corridors of any
hospital studying cancer today, the excitement is palpable,” says Daniel Haber, MD,
PhD, the director of Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and a
professor of oncology at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Check out
these groundbreaking new developments in cancer research.
Please ask for genetic screening
science photo/Shutterstock
“One of my early ovarian cancer patients told
me her mom and grandma had both died of ovarian cancer, yet her doctor had
never said, ‘Have you considered genetic testing?’” recalls Elizabeth Swisher,
MD, a gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington. “By the time she
came to me, it was too late. But before she died, I tested her to identify the
mutation that had caused her cancer. Afterward, I helped her daughter get that
same test and removed her ovaries as a preventive measure. She’ll likely be the
first person who doesn’t die of cancer in four generations of women in her
family.” These are ovarian cancer symptoms you might overlook.
Therapies targeting a cancer’s individual profile are working
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By decoding the thousands of genes in
someone’s cancer cells, scientists can find out which mutations they carry and
then match the important mutations to the right drugs. Dr. Haber began
investigating this method a decade ago, when he read the story of a nurse who’d
never smoked but had metastatic lung cancer: “She got into a clinical trial for
a new targeted therapy [called Iressa]. It was failing, but for 10 percent of
participants, it worked magically. She happened to be in that magical 10
percent. We found a gene called EGFR in her tumor and in the other patients who
had responded well.” Today, targeted drug therapy is routinely used for many
types of cancer, including lung, breast, colon, and melanoma.
Every patient should ask about getting his or her tumor profile
Andrei_R/Shutterstock
“We had an 11-year-old girl with a rare form
of leukemia go through chemotherapy four times—yet her cancer kept coming
back,” says Arul Chinnaiyan,
MD, PhD, a pathologist at the University of Michigan. “Finally, we sequenced
her tumor cells, and we found a genetic mutation that we knew was sensitive to
a particular compound. We gave that drug to her, and she went into remission
for more than 18 months. As we develop more and more targeted therapies, there
will be hundreds of stories like that.”
We hope a “liquid biopsy” will replace needle biopsies
Konstantin Ivshin/Shutterstock
In a development that may revolutionize cancer
screening, scientists have developed a blood test that can identify biomarkers
for a variety of stage I cancers in the bloodstream. “The same technology that
can find your DNA at a crime scene can find a cancer’s DNA in your body,”
says William G. Nelson,
MD, PhD, director of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Cancer centers are already exploring
the use of the tests, but the hope is that one day, a simple blood draw at your
annual physical would detect cancer before you show any symptoms. Find out
more about the blood tests that could show cancer earlier than ever.
We can help your immune system kill your tumor
A3pfamily /Shutterstock
Cancer cells use a type of “brake” to turn off
your immune system’s natural response. Immunotherapy drugs release that brake,
enabling the immune system’s T cells to attack. The results have been
staggering. In clinical trials, for example, almost 5,000 stage IV melanoma
patients who weren’t expected to live more than a year or two were given three
immunotherapy drugs. Three years later, 20 percent were still alive. “Many
patients from that trial have now lived more than a decade with no sign of
disease,” says Tak Wah Mak, PhD,
an immunologist and molecular biologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
in Toronto, Ontario. “It’s a miraculous thing.” The FDA has since approved more
than a dozen different immunotherapy agents for a range of cancers.
Drug combinations may be a patient’s best bet
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“If we come in with just one drug, the cancer
can mutate around it or become resistant,” Dr. Chinnaiyan says. “But we’re
finding that using a cocktail of drugs—similar to the treatment HIV-infected
patients receive—can be more effective.” Learn the truth behind 29 things you think cause cancer, even though they don’t.
Viruses are among our most secret weapons
Shebeko/Shutterstock
“When we put a virus into a tumor, it makes
cancer cells think they’re infected, so they commit suicide or display new
antigens that signal your immune system to come in for the kill,” says Peter Jones, PhD,
chief scientific officer of Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids,
Michigan. The FDA recently approved a genetically engineered form of the herpes
virus to treat melanoma. And at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina,
scientists are fighting brain cancer by injecting tumors with a genetically
modified polio virus. Now Jones and his colleagues are working on a solution
for tumors that can’t easily be injected: epigenetics, a process that wakes up
ancient viruses that are embedded in our human DNA. “We are making tumors
visible [to your immune system] by turning on the viruses that are already
there,” Jones says. Early research indicates that combining epigenetics with
immunotherapy drugs may be particularly effective.
Coming soon (we hope): a Pap smear that can detect ovarian
cancer
Komsan Loonprom/Shutterstock
“We have developed a test that can find
genetic markers of ovarian and endometrial cancers in the cervical fluid
collected during a routine Pap test,” says Dr. Nelson. The research is in its
early stages, but it’s an exciting development because ovarian cancer kills
more than 14,000 women a year, often because it’s diagnosed too
late. Until then, these are 30 simple ways you can prevent cancer.
We’ve built a chip that can find runaway tumor cells
Bart Sadowski/Shutterstock
Cancer experts have known for 100 years that
malignant cancers send free-floating cells into the bloodstream, creating new
tumors in other parts of your body. But because there is about one circulatory
cancer cell for every one billion blood cells, we haven’t been able to capture the
rogue cells—until now. “We have a device that can pull out those cells so
pathologists can study them,” Dr. Haber says. “That’s important because the
reason most people die of cancer is that it spreads to other places.”
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Diagnosed? Make sure you see a medical oncologist as well as a
surgeon
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“Surgeons have a financial incentive to
recommend surgery,” Dr. Swisher says. “Many of us believe that’s part of the
reason for the huge increase in double mastectomies in the United States.” (The
rate has tripled over the past decade; more moderate treatments like lumpectomy
that preserve the breast can be equally effective.) A medical oncologist can
talk to you about the pros and cons of surgery and can share other alternatives
such as treatment with just drugs and radiation, chemotherapy, and more
frequent screening.
Please make this simple change to your diet
photo one/Shutterstock
If you’re overweight or diabetic, you’re much
more likely to get dangerous cancers. Many researchers believe that eating too
much sugar and rapid-release carbohydrates is particularly dangerous. “Sugar
makes your insulin levels spike, and insulin activates P13K, an enzyme that we
have learned is a major player in many human cancers,” says Lewis Cantley,
PhD, director of Weill Cornell’s Meyer Cancer Center in New York, New York.
“The evidence is strong enough that I try to avoid processed foods, especially
those with added sugars.” Instead, eat more of these 30 foods proven to prevent cancer.
For many of us, this is personal
Maksym Poriechkin/Shutterstock
“I decided to become a medical oncologist when
I was 16 years old, after I’d lost both my parents to cancer,” says Patricia LoRusso,
DO, associate director for innovative medicine at Yale Cancer Center in New
Haven, Connecticut. “I wanted to go after the thing that had destroyed my
childhood.” Adds Dr. Jones, “I think about my research when I’m in the shower,
while I eat lunch, and before I go to bed at night. I dream of actually making
an impact on the survival rate of the disease.”
Clinical trials are the best way to get access to the latest
treatments
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Remember, if you’re in the “placebo” group,
you won’t be taking sugar pills, says Dr. Cantley. Instead, you’ll get “the
standard of care,” that is, the same treatment you would get if you didn’t
enroll in the trial. If you’re not in the placebo group, you get the standard
treatment plus whatever compound we’re testing. And when we find that a therapy
is particularly effective, we often transition the trial to a “crossover” study,
which allows every patient to receive the study drug.
Sorry, naturopathic remedies are not a cure
iStock/Elena Elisseeva
They have websites that look so scientific and
claim clinical trials, but because they’re not evaluated by the FDA for safety
or effectiveness, they can make any claim they want, says Dr. Swisher. “I had a
patient who bought into a treatment where they filtered his urine and infused
it back into him by IV,” she said. “Another was getting ‘ozone therapy.’ She
came in hooked up to a gas tank that was taller than her; it was pumping gas
into her belly.” Not only do these naturopathic remedies not cure cancer, a lot
of them also interfere with real cancer treatment that could work. If it sounds
too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t fall for these other 50 myths about cancer doctors wish you’d stop believing.
Seek out a cancer center
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This is especially important if you’ve been
diagnosed with a late-stage or incurable cancer. So much is changing so
fast that it’s important to have access to the latest technologies, treatments,
trials and medicines, and cancer centers are where you can find those things,
says Dr. Cantley. Look for an institution that has a lot of experience with
your specific type of cancer or, even better, one that has published research
on it.
Cancer is no longer a death sentence
Martin Novak/shutterstock
“My dad got lymphoma when he was 76,”
says Daniel Von Hoff,
MD, physician-in-chief and director of translational research at the
Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. “He said, ‘I
don’t want to be treated. I’ve lived a good life, and I know most people who
get cancer die.’ I told him that wasn’t true anymore, but he wouldn’t listen.
Finally, out of exasperation, I said, ‘Dad, I’m a cancer researcher. If you
die, I’ll look bad.’ He relented, got treated, and went into remission. That
was 18 years ago. He’s now 94 and still doing well.” Here are hopeful statistics about cancer everyone should know.
We are spending less money, not more, fighting cancer
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With the exception of a one-time increase in
2009, the federal investment in cancer research (when adjusted for inflation)
has been stagnant for more than a decade. At the same time, the cost of
conducting research has escalated, says Dr. Haber. So a lot of good projects
don’t get funded.
Cancer is not one disease
Vanatchanan/Shutterstock
It’s actually more than 100 unique diseases,
each with dozens of genetic subsets, says Dr. Chinnaiyan. Even cancers that
arise in the same part of the body can have different genetic fingerprints.
Breast cancer, for example, is really at least ten different kinds of cancer
that respond to different targeted treatments. Make sure you know the simple habits that will help prevent breast cancer.
Learn your family history
Rido/Shutterstock
Knowing your family cancer history is more important
than ever—especially if you have more than one relative with cancer (on either
side of your family). Why? Because we now know that about 5 to 10 percent of
all cancers are inherited. Genetic tests today can screen you for every known
hereditary cancer gene, says Dr. Swisher. “Finding out you have a mutation is
not a death sentence; it’s a call to action,” she says. “Once you know you are
at risk, the right interventions and screenings can literally keep you from
getting cancer. It is so frustrating to me when people die of hereditary cancer
and I think, ‘This was preventable.’” Find out 15 more things oncologists do to prevent cancer.
We focus too much on treatment, not enough on prevention
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The vast majority of available research funds
are spent on developing treatments, with only a fraction focused on prevention.
Yet at least 21 percent of U.S. cancer deaths may be related to preventable
causes, such as smoking and obesity, according to the CDC; other research
indicates the figure is closer to 50 percent. Start with these other 37 ways to cut your risk of cancer.
The Most
Groundbreaking Cancer Research of 2017
Tina Donvito
We’ve come a long way in the diagnosis, treatment, and
prevention of cancer. The exciting discoveries of the past year mean more lives
will be saved from cancer than ever before.
Advances in immunotherapy
plenty m/Shutterstock
Among the completely reassuring things scientists wish you knew
about cancer is the research that’s being done to eradicate
the disease, in which abnormal cells multiply and take over in the body. Last
year there were over 1,685,000 cases of
cancer diagnosed, and nearly 600,000 people died. Standard therapies so far are
surgery, radiation to kill the cells, and chemotherapy, which alters the DNA of
cancer cells to stop them from reproducing. But radiation and chemo damage
healthy cells too, so researchers have been looking for better treatments. New
immunotherapy drugs use the patient’s own immune cells to attack cancer.
Stephen Hunger, MD, chief of the Division of Oncology, chief of the Division of
Pediatric Oncology, and director of the Center for Childhood Cancer Research at
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, tells us about two of the exciting
immunotherapy treatments approved this year: “Inotuzumab uses an antibody to
recognize leukemia cells and deliver a toxin selectively to these cells,
thereby killing them with many fewer side effects than seen with standard
chemotherapy drugs,” Dr. Hunger says. Another effective new therapy is a drug
called blinatumomab. “This drug essentially acts as a link to bring T-cells
into contact with malignant B-cells, enabling them to kill the leukemia cells,”
he says.
First-ever gene therapy
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The biggest cancer breakthrough of the year is
the FDA approval of
the first gene therapy drug, developed at CHOP and the University of
Pennsylvania to treat young people with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) when
all other treatments have failed. “CAR T-cell therapyinvolves
removing healthy T-cells from a patient’s body and genetically modifying them,”
Dr. Hunger says. After they’ve been reprogrammed to identify cancer, “these
cells are then re-infused into the patient, and they travel throughout the body
and find the [cancer] cells, attack, and kill them.” The T-cells also reproduce
to work long-term. Dr. Hunger calls the results “remarkably effective:”
In clinical trials,
83 percent of patients went into remission within three months, with about half
remaining healthy two years later. “This is also quite remarkable, as less than
ten to 20 percent of children with relapsed or refractory ALL are alive after
two years with standard therapies,” Dr. Hunger says. There are some side
effects such as high fevers, so more work needs to be done. “New efforts are
directed to understanding how physicians can integrate this into the ‘toolbox’
of therapies they use for children, adolescents, and young adults with ALL,” he
says.
More gene therapies
David Litman/Shutterstock
While some are fighting to end pediatric
cancer, other doctors are working for older victims of the disease as well.
Swift on the heels of the first gene therapy drug for leukemia sufferers came
an FDA approval of
the first for adults as well, specifically those with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The
treatment works the same way, with T-cells removed and pumped up with
cancer-fighting “chimeric antigen receptors” (CARs) to locate, latch onto, and
destroy cancer cells, while reproducing in the body to continue to their
attack. “Treating patients with CAR T-cells has been one of my most exciting
professional experiences, and the FDA approval of this therapy offers hope and
optimism to a subset of patients whose other treatments have failed them,” says
Caron A. Jacobson, MD, medical director of the Immune Effector Cell Therapy
Program at the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. “It is extremely
rewarding to be able to offer a new therapy to patients who had virtually no
other options just 12 to 24 months ago.” Now that CAR T-cell therapy has been
shown to work on blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, researchers will be
looking into how they can fight the solid tumors of other cancers.
A Fitbit for cancer
David Litman/Shutterstock
If you thought all your fitness tracker
knew was these 9 surprising things about you, check out
the latest gadgets for detecting and tracking cancer. Optical imaging using
light to see inside the body, like a Fitbit does, may be helpful in seeing how
breast cancer patients are responding to chemotherapy. Well before MRI or
ultrasound can visualize a tumor shrinking, a handheld device developed at
Boston University uses near-infrared light to measure changes in the tumor’s
blood supply and metabolism. If the chemo’s not working, doctors can make
changes much earlier, which would save patients time and nasty side effects.
“We started to think, ‘Wow, there’s probably a lot of biology happening during
treatment that hasn’t been studied because the tools haven’t been available to
measure patients at the right time points,’” researcher Darren Roblyer, PhD,
told the American Cancer Society.
He’s also developing a wearable device that would fit over
the breast to give continual measurements. Other advancements in optical
imaging are emerging as well, such as this probe that
uses light to tell surgeons whether they’ve removed all the cancer cells during
surgery.
New cancer research sharing
Sahacha Nilkumhang/Shutterstock
Everyone should know these hopeful cancer statistics—and cloud
sharing may help doctors know more cancer data, too. According to policymakers
at the National Cancer Institute,
a major driving force of new breakthroughs is shared information, which can
best happen through a new cloud-based data sharing center. To that end, the
University of Chicago, along with other institutions, is setting up protected
cancer research networks that allow collaboration while still keeping health
data secure. “We can store our data in a HIPAA-protected environment and share
it with collaborators across the continent and around the world,” co-principal
investigator Olufunmilayo I. Olopade, MD, the Walter L. Palmer Distinguished
Service Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics, said in a press release. “I
think it will be absolutely revolutionary for how physicians do research.”
Colorectal cancer wake-up call
Lukasz Pawel Szczepanski./Shutterstock
Don’t think that because you’re under 50,
you’re immune to the disease. A disturbing increase in rates of colorectal
cancers among younger adults was discovered this year in a study led by
the American Cancer Society. According to the research, those born in 1990 have
double the risk of colon cancer and four times the risk of rectal cancer as those
born in 1950. Although rates of these cancers are declining overall due to
better screening among older adults, the increase among younger ones is
disturbing. “Trends in young people are a bellwether for the future disease
burden,” lead researcher Rebecca Siegel, MPH, said in a press release. “Educational campaigns are
needed to alert clinicians and the general public about this increase to help
reduce delays in diagnosis, which are so prevalent in young people, but also to
encourage healthier eating and more active lifestyles to try to reverse this
trend.” Although the reason for this rise isn’t yet known, the silver lining is
that this knowledge may be a wake-up call for doctors and patients, and could
lead to earlier diagnosis. Watch out for the silent symptoms of colon cancer you might be missing.
The gut’s role in cancer
David Litman/Shutterstock
One way a healthy gut microbiome could add years to your life is
by moderating your response to immunotherapy treatment for cancer. A study by
researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that
patients with stage-four melanoma treated with a certain immunotherapy had
better results with a more diverse group of “good” bacteria in their digestive
system, called the microbiome. Because these good bacteria influence your
immune response to threats, a healthier microbiome could mean a better response
to treatments that use a patient’s immune system to fight cancer. And the best
news? Your microbiome can adapt to lifestyle modifications like diet, exercise,
and probiotic use. “You can change your microbiome, it’s really not that
difficult, so we think these findings open up huge new opportunities,” says
study leader Jennifer Wargo, MD, associate professor of Surgical Oncology and
Genomic Medicine.
Genetic testing on cancer
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You’ve probably heard of the BRCA gene for
breast and ovarian cancer (learn about why these women are grateful for their BRCA diagnosis).
But, the future of cancer diagnosis and treatment will likely involve screening
patients for many other genetic alterations. Part of an initiative called precision medicine,
this approach looks at each individual to see how he or she can best be
treated. Recent advances in this area include the first extensive FDA-approved test
to detect hundreds of biomarkers in cancer patients’ tumors, which can help
doctors quickly know how to attack the disease. In other news, researchers have
discovered the survival rate of deadly pancreatic cancer is linked to
alterations in four genes. “The research helps us to understand how the
molecular features of pancreatic cancer impact prognosis on an individual level
and gives us more facts to guide patients, and importantly, to design future
research studies,” study co-author Aram Hezel, MD, a gastrointestinal cancer
expert and chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at the University of
Rochester Medical Center’s Wilmot Cancer Institute, said in a press release.
Sugar and cancer
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Could cutting out sugar lead to a
reduction in your cancer risk? New research says it’s possible. (Find out what else happens to your body when you stop eating sugar.)
For decades, researchers have known that cancer cells use a much higher amount
of glucose to fuel their growth than normal cells. Called the Warburg effect,
scientists weren’t sure if the abnormal way the cells use sugar caused the
cancer or was a result of it. But this year, in Belgium released the results of a nine-year project that
found that sugar “awakens” cancer cells, leading to a vicious cycle of growth.
Although it’s been proposed for years that denying the cancer cells sugar could
“starve” and kill them, this clarification of the link between sugar and cancer
could lead to ways to actually make this happen without starving healthy cells,
too. Some are already on the horizon: Researchers at
the University of Colorado have found a way to shut down cancer cells’ ability
to gobble up the glucose by switching off certain genes they need to do so.
Personalized cancer vaccine
Komsan Loonprom/Shutterstock
One of the simple ways you can prevent cancer is
by getting the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer. But other vaccine
treatments are on the horizon, too—and in this case, they’re targeted for an
individual cancer patient’s tumor. In a pilot study at the Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the first successful
personalized cancer vaccine was used to successfully treat six melanoma
patients. The researchers sequenced each tumor’s DNA to look for mutated
antigens, or neoantigens, for immune cells to attack. The vaccine trained the
immune cells how to identify the cells to destroy. “We’ve long recognized in
cancer that every patient’s tumor is different,” said Catherine J. Wu, MD,
physician-researcher at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. “With recent advances in
technology, it’s now becoming possible to create a therapy that’s suited to
target an individual’s tumor. We provided proof-of-principle that a personal
vaccine tailored to a patient’s tumor can be produced and generates highly
specific responses to that patient’s tumor after vaccination.” More research is
needed, but the breakthrough is promising.
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Almost half of cancer deaths are preventable
Shebeko/Shutterstock
A new study from
the American Cancer Society estimates that a whopping 45 percent of cancers are
preventable. The analysis looked at available data for 26 cancer types and risk
factors including cigarette smoking, excess body weight, alcohol use,
consumption of red and processed meat, low consumption of fruits and
vegetables, dietary fiber, and physical inactivity. Forty-two percent of all
cases and 45 percent of cancer deaths were attributable to those factors. This
could affect a huge number of the nearly 40 percent of
men and women who’ll be diagnosed with cancer in their life. “Our findings
emphasize the continued need for widespread implementation of known preventive
measures in the country to reduce the morbidity and premature mortality from
cancers associated with potentially modifiable risk factors,” the authors
wrote. Don’t miss these additional ways you can cut your cancer risk, according
to science.
29 Things
You Think Cause Cancer but Don’t
Lauren Cahn
Seems like every day we hear about something else that will
kill us. Today, you get to read about the things you thought were deadly—but
are harmless.
Plastic water bottles
iamshutter/Shutterstock
Back in the 2000s, you might have read that
plastic contains diethylhexyl adipate (DEHA), a supposed carcinogen. According
to the American Cancer Society,
DEHA is not always in the plastic used to make water bottles—and even if it
was, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says DEHA “cannot
reasonably be anticipated to cause cancer.” Likewise, the International Agency
for Research on Cancer (IARC) doesn’t list DEHA as a carcinogen. Here are 30 foods that can help prevent cancer.
Microwaving plastics
Ahanov Michael/Shutterstock
Since at least 2002, people have been afraid to
microwave foods in plastic containers and plastic wrap under the mistaken
impression that it will release cancer-causing chemicals into their food. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strictly regulates plastic food
containers and approves the ones marked “microwave safe.” This means the
plastic is free of DEHA and dioxins,
according to the ACS.
Microwaving anything
Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock
Some people are still
suspicious of microwaves, believing the cooking method makes food radioactive.
Not so, according to the ACS.
The group explains, “Microwave ovens can cook food, but they do not otherwise
change the chemical or molecular structure of it.”
Not so fast, say the suspicious-minded person: Doesn’t a microwave emit
radiation? It does not: “Microwave ovens are designed so that the microwaves
are contained within the oven itself,” the ACS states. When used according to
instructions, there is no evidence they pose a health risk to people.
Dryer sheets
Naama Elitzur/Shutterstock
Dryer sheets soften
your clothes and eliminate static cling—while they silently give you cancer…
Wait, what? Not so fast: The unscented sheets appear to be safe. However,
the scented versions may contain a toxic chemical. The problem is that
the Federal Trade Commission doesn’t
require identification of individual fragrance components. If you’re concerned,
consider using unscented sheets or switch to a brand that discloses fragrance
components; Seventh Generation, for example, uses only essential oils.
Here are some little things you can do every day to prevent cancer.
Dental fillings
In case you didn’t
know, those cavities you had filled a while back likely have mercury in them.
But they also have other metals, including silver, tin, and copper. According
to the American Dental Association, the combination of these metals makes the
fillings, known as dental amalgams, completely safe. “It’s important to know
that when combined with the other metals, it forms a safe, stable material,”
the ADA says. What’s more, the type of mercury used in the fillings isn’t the
same type (methylmercury) that has been shown to cause health problems.
Sugar
Oleg Kozlov/Shutterstock
Sugar does a lot of bad things to your body,
but sugar doesn’t cause cancer.
This is true despite research suggesting that cancer cells consume more glucose
(blood sugar) than normal cells. You actually need some sugar in your diet—it’s necessary for
your immune system, according to Anton Bilchik, MD, chief of medicine and
gastrointestinal research at John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint
John’s Health Center. Feel free to ignore these other myths about cancer, and in particular
breast cancer.
Artificial sweeteners
SpeedKingz/Shutterstock
While some early research found a link between
artificial sweeteners and bladder cancer in laboratory
animals, the National Cancer Institute reports
that further research failed to confirm the findings. However, everyone could
benefit from cutting back on the sweet stuff: Artificial sweeteners can be harmful to your health by
messing with your metabolism and raising your risk of type 2 diabetes, high
blood pressure, and heart disease.
Lucky Charms
P Maxwell Photography/Shutterstock
Lucky Charms has
an interesting list of ingredients, including trisodium phosphate (aka tribasic
sodium phosphate; TSP). It’s found in many food items and it’s also in cleaning
products and paint thinners—yikes, right? Not so fast: TSP is a leavening agent
similar to baking soda (also in foods and cleaning products).
The amounts in Lucky Charms (and other foods) are so tiny that there is no
cancer threat.
Candy canes
karen roach/Shutterstock
You may have heard that candy canes contain the
scary-sounding titanium dioxide—but that’s just a pigment that turns candy
canes (as well as sunblock and toothpaste) brilliant white. Titanium dioxide is not a known carcinogen.
Nutella
Ivan Svyatkovsky/Shutterstock
Parents everywhere panicked when the news
that Nutella could cause cancer hit (both
for their kids and themselves, no doubt). Everyone take a deep breath: Nutella
does contain palm oil which, when heated above around 400 degrees F, can be
cancerous. As the makers of Nutella are quick to point out, they never get
their product that hot. However, Nutella may not be as healthy as you might hope.
The wax on apples
Ana Iacob Photography/Shutterstock
You’ll often find that
apples are coated with wax—it’s to extend shelf life and to make the fruit look
enticing. Although some will claim the wax is carcinogenic, it most certainly is not.
While there are some credible concerns about carcinogenic pesticides that might
be trapped under the wax, you can take care of that problem by rinsing fruits
with water and scrubbing them with a soft brush. Or opt for organic apples,
which are less likely to have been treated with toxic chemical pesticides.
Don’t miss these completely reassuring things scientists wish you knew about cancer.
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Disposable chopsticks
Scott Dumas/Shutterstock
Around 2005, an Internet rumor began circulating that disposable wooden chopsticks
contain carcinogens, including sulfur dioxide. One catch: Sulfur
dioxide is not a carcinogen. If you don’t want to ingest sulfur dioxide (as
some people are sensitive to it), you might consider using reusable
chopsticks—or a fork.
Cold water
MR.Yanukit/Shutterstock
This is a bizarre one: A viral rumor has been
going around that drinking cold water after meals can cause cancer—it doesn’t.
The email claims that cold water interferes with digestion, and… somehow that
causes cancer? Sometimes you’re better off hitting the delete key: No research
anywhere backs up this silly claim. The bigger issue tends to be that people
don’t drink enough water; here’s how to get more into your day.
Over-boiling your water
dashtik/Shutterstock
Supposedly if water is boiled for too long or
reboiled, chemical compounds form, including carcinogens like arsenic. The
reality is that the risks posed by reboiling
water are minimal.
Turning on the AC in your car
BonNontawat/Shutterstock
The claim is that turning on your AC after
your car has been running will spew benzene—a carcinogen—into the cabin. Nope. There are exactly zero studies
demonstrating that well-maintained cars contain or produce benzene through
their air conditioning system in sufficient quantities to have any carcinogenic
impact.
E-cigarettes
Hazem.m.kamal/Shutterstock
Even though a few
years back a Japanese study found electronic cigarettes contain more
carcinogens as tobacco cigarettes, don’t panic: It turns out the study was
seriously flawed. In February 2017, the U.K.’s National Health Service cited a
study suggesting the use of electronic cigarettes is far safer than smoking.
If you do decide to try this alternative to
smoking, keep these e-cigs side effects in mind.
Dental fillings
Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock
Any cavities you had filled a while
back are likely to have mercury in them. Too much mercury can be
bad for your brain, but it isn’t a carcinogen; what’s more, those mercury
fillings also included silver, tin, and copper. According to the American
Dental Association, the combination of these metals makes the fillings, known
as dental amalgams, completely safe. Here are some other things your dentist wishes you knew.
Hair dye
DenisProduction.com/Shutterstock
Some studies indicate
that constant exposure to dyes can put hairdressers and barbers at a higher
risk of bladder cancer. Not true—there’s no scientific evidence that
coloring your hair—even regularly—increases your risk of cancer. The only
reason to extend the time between hair coloring appointments is to save time
and expense.
Check out these hopeful cancer statistics everyone should know.
Shampoo
Goncharov_Artem/Shutterstock
Occasionally the idea crops up that shampoo
causes cancer because it contains the foaming agent
sodium laureth sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Also
found in hair conditioner, soap, and various cleaning products, SLS may damage
your hair but not your genes; it’s definitely not a carcinogen, reports the
American Cancer Society.
Antiperspirant
Alliance/Shutterstock
The National Cancer Institute is
clear about this one: There is no truth to the rumor that
antiperspirant causes cancer. “The best studies so far have found no evidence
linking the chemicals typically found in antiperspirants and deodorants with
changes in breast tissue,” the institute reports in a fact sheet titled Antiperspirants/Deodorants and
Breast Cancer. These actual causes of cancer might surprise you,
though.
Your cell phone
Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock
People have long been suspicious of those
handy devices, but there’s no need to be.
As the American Cancer Society explains, cancer grows through genetic
mutations, and cell phones emit a type of
low-frequency energy that isn’t capable of damaging the DNA
inside cells. And although researchers continue to study this potential link,
there are no reputable findings linking cell phones and cancer risk. Still,
while using your cell phone doesn’t cause cancer, these things do raise your cancer risk.
Power lines
Pataradon Luangtongkum/Shutterstock
Power lines emit both
electric and magnetic energy—so do they cause cancer? No, according
to the National Cancer Institute’s fact sheet on Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer. “The
electric energy emitted by power lines is easily shielded or weakened by walls
and other objects. The magnetic energy emitted by power lines is a low-frequency
form of radiation that does not damage genes.
Cold water
There’s good reason to use cold water when cooking,
but if you’ve heard that drinking cold water after meals can cause cancer, you can
disregard it as a silly rumor. The viral email that began the
rumor involved the notion that cold water interferes with digestion, causin food
to turn to cancer-causing intestinal sludge.
Nope. Just nope. There
is no research backing up this claim, and it doesn’t even make scientific sense
since chilled liquids do NOT cause food to turn into sludge in the body, whose
internal heat nullifies any temperature difference between foods/beverages.
Boiling your water twice
You might have heard
this one if you follow alternative health news, that if water is boiled for too
long or reboiled, chemical compounds form, including carcinogens like arsenic.
But the reality is that the risks posed by reboiling water are minimal,
due to the scale of concentration needed to bring anydissolved
component of water to a harmful concentration. Any water that is dangerous
after re-boiling, was almost certainly dangerous to begin with. So the real
question is: is your tap water safe? Here’s how to know for sure.
Turning on the AC in your car
This wouldbe
true if your car contained enough carcinogenic chemicals such as benzene to
make any difference in your health at all. But there are no studies supporting the claim that well-maintained cars
contain or produce benzene through their air conditioning system in sufficient
quantities to have any carcinogenic impact.
E-cigarettes
You want to give up
smoking cigarettes because it’s dirty, disgusting, and dangerous. So you get
yourself some e-cigs to wean yourself gradually. That would be fine if e-cigs
don’t cause cancer, themselves. But a few years back, a Japanese study found
electronic cigarettes contain ten times as many carcinogens as tobacco
cigarettes. Turned out, the study was seriously flawed. In February 2017, the
UK’s National Health Service citeda study
suggesting the use of electronic cigarettes
is far safer than smoking. If you do decide to use e-cigs, keep these possible side
effects in mind.
Dental fillings
In case you didn’t
know, those cavities you had filled a while back likely have mercury in them.
But they also have other metals, including silver, tin, and copper. According
to the American Dental Association, the combination of these metals makes the
fillings, known as dental amalgams, completely safe. “It’s important to know
that when combined with the other metals, it forms a safe, stable material,”
the ADA says. What’s more, the type of mercury used in the fillings isn’t the
same type (methylmercury) that has been shown to cause health problems.
Do power lines cause
cancer?
Lucky Charms
Lucky Charmshas
an interesting list of ingredients that might (and possibly SHOULD) care you
off. One of those ingredients is trisodium phosphate (or tribasic sodium
phosphate; TSP), whch is found in many food items but is also usedin
cleaning products and paint thinners. But is that so bad, really?
No. It’s not. TSP is a
leavening agent (not unlike baking soda, which is also used in foods as well as
cleaning products). At the amount found in Lucky Chamrs (and other foods),
there is no cancer-causing impact whatsoever.
Candy Canes
You may have heard
that candy canescause
cancer because they contain titanium dioxide. It’s quite likely to be true
(depending on the manufacturer of your candy cane), but that doesn’t mean that
candy canes cause cancer. Titanium dioxide is a pigment that imbues candy canes
(as well as sunblock and toothpaste) with a brilliant, opaque white. Titanium dioxide isnota known carcinogenand hasn’t been
demonstrated as posing a cancer risk to consumers through ordinary consumption
of food products. And it’s a good thing because you know you can’t resist red candy (here’s why).
Nutella
Well, it aint so.
Rather, it’s incorrectly based on Nutella’s inclusion of palm oil in its
recipe. Palm oil can produce carcinogenic byproducts whenits heated
to a certain temperature—which Nutella is neverheated to. And the
amount you would consume while consuming Nutella would be insigificant in any
event.
That being said,
we’re not convinced Nutella is as healthy as some of wished.
Takis
The Wax on Apples
Disposable chopsticks
Cold water
There’s good reason to use cold water when cooking,
but if you’ve heard that drinking cold water after meals can cause cancer, you can
disregard it as a silly rumor. The viral email that began the
rumor involved the notion that cold water interferes with digestion, causin
food to turn to cancer-causing intestinal sludge.
Nope. Just nope. There
is no research backing up this claim, and it doesn’t even make scientific sense
since chilled liquids do NOT cause food to turn into sludge in the body, whose
internal heat nullifies any temperature difference between foods/beverages.
Boiling your water twice
You might have heard
this one if you follow alternative health news, that if water is boiled for too
long or reboiled, chemical compounds form, including carcinogens like arsenic.
But the reality is that the risks posed by reboiling water are minimal,
due to the scale of concentration needed to bring anydissolved
component of water to a harmful concentration. Any water that is dangerous
after re-boiling, was almost certainly dangerous to begin with. So the real
question is: is your tap water safe? Here’s how to know for sure.
Turning on the AC in your car
This wouldbe
true if your car contained enough carcinogenic chemicals such as benzene to
make any difference in your health at all. But there are no studies supporting the claim that well-maintained cars
contain or produce benzene through their air conditioning system in sufficient
quantities to have any carcinogenic impact.
E-cigarettes
You want to give up
smoking cigarettes because it’s dirty, disgusting, and dangerous. So you get
yourself some e-cigs to wean yourself gradually. That would be fine if e-cigs
don’t cause cancer, themselves. But a few years back, a Japanese study found
electronic cigarettes contain ten times as many carcinogens as tobacco
cigarettes. Turned out, the study was seriously flawed. In February 2017, the
UK’s National Health Service citeda study
suggesting the use of electronic cigarettes
is far safer than smoking. If you do decide to use e-cigs, keep these possible side
effects in mind.
Dental fillings
In case you didn’t
know, those cavities you had filled a while back likely have mercury in them.
But they also have other metals, including silver, tin, and copper. According
to the American Dental Association, the combination of these metals makes the
fillings, known as dental amalgams, completely safe. “It’s important to know
that when combined with the other metals, it forms a safe, stable material,”
the ADA says. What’s more, the type of mercury used in the fillings isn’t the
same type (methylmercury) that has been shown to cause health problems.
Do power lines cause
cancer?
X-rays
Xray Computer/Shutterstock
Yes, radiation is part of the procedure. But
the amount of radiation from a single X-ray is relatively small, says Sailaja
Kamaraju, MD, MS, assistant professor of medicine at the Medical College of
Wisconsin. In fact, the radiation dose from a single X-ray is less than the
average dose of background radiation you’ll get at your office over a year’s
time. In other words, X-rays do not cause cancer. Turning down an X-ray could
put you at risk, though: A missed tumor can spread and become deadly, for
example.
Mammograms
Tyler Olson/Shutterstock
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that can
help detect breast cancer early. The procedure involves compressing the breast
(often uncomfortably), and there are women who fear that that breast compression may cause breast
cancer to spread. Others believe that the radiation emitted by mammography can
cause breast cancer. Neither is true, according to the National Cancer
Institute. Their experts point out: “The benefits of mammography… nearly always
outweigh the potential harm from the radiation exposure. Mammograms require
very small doses of radiation. The risk of harm from this radiation exposure is
extremely low.” Here’s what oncologists do to prevent cancer.
Injury to the breast
I'm friday/Shutterstock
This supposed wisdom has been around for
years: An injury to the breast, such as
falling or being hit in the chest, can cause breast cancer.
While an injury to the breast may cause bruising and swelling—or even a benign
lump known as fat necrosis—it won’t cause breast cancer.
Your bra
Arman Zhenikeyev/Shutterstock
“The fact is that
underwire bras do not cause breast cancer,” Marisa Weiss, MD, told Reader’s
Digest. She should know: Dr. Weiss is chief medical officer and president
and founder of breastcancer.org. A 2014 scientific study
looked into the supposed link between underwire bras and breast cancer, and it
could detect no difference in breast cancer rates among women who wore a bar
versus women who didn’t.
Don’t miss these 30 simple ways you can prevent cancer.
Abortion
Rocketclips, Inc./Shutterstock
The claim that undergoing an abortion
increases a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer may have its roots in
the notion that women who give birth for the first time after the age of 30 are
at an increased risk of breast cancer. But the scientific reality is that women
who’ve had an abortion are no more likely to get breast cancer than women who have
not.
Slicing a tumor causes it to spread
A_stockphoto/Shutterstock
In 2005, nearly 41 percent of people surveyed
by the American Cancer Society said they believed that surgery to remove cancer
actually caused cancer to spread, and an additional 13 percent weren’t sure.
Guess what? Cutting into cancer does not
cause it to spread. First, surgeons use special protocols to
prevent cancer cells from migrating during surgical procedures. Second, cancer
replicates and metastasizes on its own, not with the
help of a scalpel. Here are some other cancer myths that need to be “removed” from
our brains.
Exposure to air causes cancer to spread
chainarong06/Shutterstock
Here’s another incorrect and potentially
dangerous belief about cancer: that exposing it to air (via surgery or otherwise)
makes it grow and spread. “There’s no scientific data supporting that theory,”
says Blair Marshall, MD, thoracic surgeon, on oncolink.com. Dr.
Marshall writes that the theory stems from situations where cancer patients
have surgery and then later die of metastatic cancer. “In actuality,” Dr.
Marshall reports, “if the patient had not undergone any surgery at all, they
still would have developed widespread disease.” This belief is more prevalent
and difficult to “disentangle” in “underserved groups,” according to this study, and may contribute to disparities
in cancer outcomes.
Your bad attitude
Photographee.eu/Shutterstock
“To date, there is no
convincing scientific evidence that links a person’s ‘attitude’ to his or her
risk of developing or dying from cancer,” according to the National Cancer Institute. “If you have
cancer, it’s normal to feel sad, angry, or discouraged sometimes, and positive
or upbeat at other times.” And none of it is the cause of the cancer, and none
of it will directly impact the disease progression.
30 Simple
Ways You Can Prevent Cancer
Reader’s Digest Editors
Cancers don’t develop overnight. These cancer-fighting foods
and other lifestyle moves can significantly reduce your cancer risk. Of course,
you should always check with your doctor with any concerns.
Cut out sugary drinks.
Vintage Tone/shutterstock
Not only do sugary drinks contribute to
obesity and diabetes, they may also increase your risk of endometrial cancer.
According to research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health,
women who drank large amounts of sugar-laden beverages had up to an 87 percent
higher risk of endometrial cancer, likely due to the pounds these drinks can
add. These are reasons that you should avoid all soda (that
means diet too).
Eat “resistant starches.”
Oksana-Mizina/Shutterstock
Resistant starch, found in foods like green
bananas, rolled oats, and white beans, may help reduce the increased risk of
colon cancer from a diet high in red meat. According to the journal Cancer
Prevention Research, participants in a study had a 30 percent increase
in cell proliferation in the rectal tissue after eating 300 grams of lean red
meat a day (about 10 ounces) for four weeks. After adding 40 grams of resistant
starches a day while eating the meat, cell proliferation levels went back down
to normal. If you’re a little bit confused about what a resistance starch is, here’s everything you need to know about it.
Stand more. Sit less.
Chompoo Suriyo/Shutterstock
New studies suggest that people who spend most
of their day sitting are at a 24 percent higher risk for colon and endometrial
cancer than people who spend less time in a chair. Other research showed that
people who spent more time in front of the TV had a 54 percent increased risk
of colon cancer than those who watched less TV. Time to switch to a standing
desk? If that’s not an option, get up and walk around for a few minutes at
least once an hour. Try out these resolutions to make you stand at work.
Steam your broccoli.
Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock
Broccoli is a cancer-preventing super food—one
you should eat frequently. But take note: A study done in 2008 by Italian
researchers found that steamed broccoli contains more glucosinolate (the
healthy components of the vegetable) than boiled, fried, or microwaved
broccoli. Nutrients leach into the cooking water instead of remaining in the
vegetable, according to the Harvard Family Health Guide.
Eat Brazil nuts.
Xan/Shutterstock
They’re rich in selenium, a trace mineral
found in soil that convinces cancer cells to commit suicide and helps cells
repair their DNA. A Harvard study of more than 1,000 men with prostate cancer
found those with the highest blood levels of selenium were 48 percent less
likely to develop advanced disease over 13 years than men with the lowest
levels. And a dramatic five-year study conducted at Cornell University and the
University of Arizona showed that 200 micrograms of selenium daily—the amount
in just two unshelled Brazil nuts—resulted in 63 percent fewer prostate tumors,
58 percent fewer colorectal cancers, 46 percent fewer lung malignancies, and a
39 percent overall decrease in cancer deaths. Make sure to get selenium from
food, not supplements. Research shows that men who consumed selenium
supplements actually had an increased prostate cancer risk. This is why nuts are the best disease fighter in your pantry.
That means they aren’t only good for preventing cancer.
Eat garlic.
Michael Courtney/Shutterstock
This pungent herb contains allyl sulfur
compounds that may stimulate the immune system’s natural defenses against
cancer, and may have the potential to help the body get rid of cancer-causing
chemicals and help cause cancer cells to die naturally, a process called
apoptosis. The Iowa Women’s Health Study showed that women who consumed the
highest amounts of garlic had a 50 percent lower risk of colon cancer compared
with women who ate the least. Try out these surprising ways to use garlic that
will improve your life.
Eat cruciferous veggies.
Jaroslaw Pawlak/Shutterstock
People who eat broccoli and its cousins such
as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and bok choy at least once per week have a
lower risk of kidney cancer compared with people who consume them less than
once a month, according to a multinational European study.
Make a cancer-fighting dinner.
Barbara Dudzinska/Shutterstock
Sauté two cloves of crushed garlic in two
tablespoons of olive oil, then mix in a can of low-sodium diced tomatoes. Stir
gently until heated and serve over one cup of whole-wheat pasta. You’ll get the
cancer-preventing benefits of garlic, plus the lycopene in the tomatoes
protects against colon, prostate, lung, and bladder cancers, the olive oil
helps your body absorb the lycopene, and the fiber-filled pasta reduces your
risk of colon cancer.
Eat artichokes.
Vincenzo Di Dio/Shutterstock
Artichokes are a great source of silymarin, an
antioxidant that may help prevent skin cancer by slowing cancer cell growth. To
eat, peel off the tough outer leaves on the bottom, slice the bottom, and cut
off the spiky top. Then boil or steam until tender, about 30-45 minutes. Drain
and eat.
Get 15 minutes of sun a day.
PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek/shutterstock
Almost 90 percent of your body’s vitamin D
comes directly from the sunlight—not from food or supplements. Studies have
shown that a vitamin D deficiency can reduce communication between cells,
causing them to stop sticking together and allowing cancer cells to spread,
according to Cancer.net, a patient information website from the American
Society of Clinical Oncology. Vitamin D may also help promote proper cell
maturation and reproduction; kinks in these processes can lead to cancer
growth. People with low levels of vitamin D have a higher risk of multiple
cancers, including breast, colon, prostate, ovarian, and stomach, as well as
osteoporosis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and high blood pressure. But avoid
overexposure, which can cause skin cancer—you only need a few minutes a day to
produce adequate vitamin D levels.
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Marinate your meat.
AS Food studio/Shutterstock
The high temperature required to grill meat
(and broil and fry, for that matter) creates compounds called heterocyclic
amines that are linked to cancer. These compounds may damage DNA enough to spur
the growth of tumors in the colon, breast, prostate, and lymph cells. One
University of Minnesota study found that eating charred meat regularly can
increase pancreatic cancer risk by up to 60 percent. According to research in
the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, marinating red meat
in beer or wine for two hours prior to cooking reduced the amount of these
harmful compounds. Kansas State University research found that rubbing rosemary
onto uncooked meats blocks the formation of these cancer-causing compounds by
up to 100 percent. You can also rub a couple of cut kiwifruit on a low-fat cut
of meat as a tenderizer to help protect the meat during grilling from those
harmful cancer-causing compounds.
Drink green tea.
Liv friis larsen/Shutterstock
More than 50 studies on the association
between tea and cancer risk have been published since 2006, according to the
National Cancer Institute. While findings have been inconsistent—partly due to
variations in types of tea and differences in preparation and consumption—some
papers have found tea drinkers have a reduced risk of breast, ovarian, colon,
prostate and lung cancer. The healing powers of green tea have been valued in
Asia for thousands of years. Some scientists believe that a chemical in green
tea, EGCG, could be one of the most powerful anti-cancer compounds ever
discovered due to the high number of antioxidants. These are other health benefits of green tea that
you probably never knew about.
Sip a glass of beer or wine.
Africa Studio/Shutterstock
Alcohol protects against the bacterium
Helicobacter pylori, which is known to cause ulcers and may lead to stomach
cancer. A study out of Queens University in Belfast found that moderate amounts
of wine, beer, lager, or cider might protect against H. pylori; drinking three
to six glasses of wine or one to two half-pints of beer a week showed 11
percent fewer infections. Don’t overdo it: Drinking more than one or two
alcoholic drinks a day may increase your risk of mouth, throat, esophageal,
liver, and breast cancers. Here’s what happens when you drink a glass of wine every night.
Eat wild salmon.
martellostudio/Shutterstock
Women who ate fish three times a week or more
were 33 percent less likely to have polyps, or growths of tissue in the colon
that can turn into cancer, according to a study in the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition. Fish, especially salmon, is packed with
anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, which are likely responsible for the
cancer-fighting effects. Australian researchers found that people who ate four
or more servings of fish per week were nearly one-third less likely to develop
the blood cancers leukemia, myeloma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Other studies
show a link between eating fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, and
tuna, as well as shrimp and scallops) with a reduced risk of endometrial cancer
in women.
Snack on kiwi.
Kwangmoozaa/Shutterstock
Kiwi may be little, but they pack a punch of
cancer-fighting antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, and
copper.
Keep your bedroom dark.
Leszek Glasner/Shutterstock
Research shows exposure to light at night may
increase the risk of ovarian and breast cancer in women. Light suppresses the
normal production of melatonin, the brain chemical that regulates our
sleep-wake cycles, which could increase the release of estrogen-fueled cancer.
A study showed breast cancer risk was increased among women who didn’t sleep
during the times when their melatonin levels were highest.
Eat less high-fat animal protein.
Le Do/Shutterstock
After tracking food choices of more than
121,000 adults for up to 28 years, Harvard researchers found that people who
ate three ounces of red meat every day were about 13 percent more likely to
die—often from heart disease or cancer—before the study ended than people who
didn’t eat meat. A Yale study found that women who ate the most animal protein
had a 70 percent higher risk of developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, while those
who ate diets high in saturated fat increased their risk 90 percent. Switch to
low-fat or nonfat dairy, choose poultry or fish instead of beef or pork, and
use olive oil instead of butter.
Snack on red grapes.
KriangKan/Shutterstock
They’re great sources of resveratrol, an
antioxidant that may slow cancer growth in the lymph nodes, stomach, breasts,
and liver. A 2011 study from The University of Texas Health Science Center
found that resveratrol inhibited skin damage that ultimately leads to skin
cancer. Although all grape skins contain resveratrol, red and purple grapes
have the most. This is why
you can never find grape ice cream.
Eat onions.
Alrandi/Shutterstock
When it comes to cancer-fighting foods, onions
are nothing to cry about. Cornell food science researchers found that that
onions and shallots have powerful antioxidant properties, as well as compounds
that inhibit cell growth, which appear protective against a variety of cancers.
The study found that shallots, Western Yellow, pungent yellow, and Northern Red
have the richest sources of flavonoids and antioxidants. Not a big fan of onion
breath? Although they have less antioxidant power, you can try scallions,
Vidalia onions, or chives for a milder taste.
Try to walk 30 minutes a day.
VTT-Studio/Shutterstock
More than two dozen studies have shown that
women who exercise have a 30 to 40 percent lower risk of breast cancer than
less active women, according to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Moderate exercise lowers blood estrogen levels, a hormone that can affect
breast cancer risk. Another study linked four hours a week of walking or hiking
with cutting the risk of pancreatic cancer in half. The benefits are probably
related to improved insulin metabolism due to the exercise.
Avoid dry cleaners.
VGstockstudio/Shutterstock
Many dry cleaners still use a chemical called
perc (perchloroethylene), found to cause kidney and liver damage and cancer
through repeated exposure or inhalation. Buying clothes that don’t require dry
cleaning, or hand washing them yourself, can reduce your exposure to this
chemical. If you must dry-clean your clothes, take them out of the plastic bag
and air them outside or in another room before wearing.
Cut out fries and chips.
Nitr/shutterstock
When foods are baked, fried, or roasted at
high temperatures (think French fries and potato chips), a potential
cancer-causing compound called acrylamide forms, a result of the chemical
changes that occur in the foods. Studies performed on rats have shown that
prolonged acrylamide exposure is a risk for multiple types of cancer. Human
studies are ongoing; but even if the results are benign, it’s healthiest to
switch from French fries and potato chips to foods like mashed potatoes and
pretzels.
Stop tanning.
Albina Glisic/shutterstock
Exposure to natural sun and tanning beds has
been shown to increase your risk for skin cancer. But spray-on tans aren’t
completely risk-free either; the chemical dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is an active
ingredient in fake tanning products, including lotions and tanning spray, and
the FDA warns that DHA shouldn’t be sprayed into the mouth, eyes, or nose
because the risks of inhalation are unknown. When high amounts of these
chemicals are breathed in, they can create free radicals, which have been
linked to cell damage and cancer risk. The safest option: no tan at all. If you
must, use an at-home lotion and wear protective gear. These sunscreen myths make dermatologists
cringe, make sure you’re not making them.
Drink milk.
Billion Photos/Shutterstock
Recent studies have shown that calcium may
protect against colon cancer: Participants in the Nurses’ Health Study who
consumed more than 700 mg of calcium per day per day had up to a 45 percent
reduced risk of colon cancer than those who consumed 500 mg or less per day.
Although 700 mg may sound like a lot, it can add up with a cup of low-fat
yogurt for breakfast (345 mg), a cup of low-fat milk with lunch (300 mg), and a
cup of spinach in your salad with dinner (292 mg).
Eat sauerkraut.
AS Food studio/Shutterstock
A Finnish study found that the fermentation
process involved in making sauerkraut produces several cancer-fighting
compounds, including isothiocyanates (or ITCs), indoles, and sulforaphane. To
reduce the sodium content, rinse canned or jarred sauerkraut before eating.
Better yet, skip the hot dog or sausage—these processed meats are associated
with a greater risk of colon cancer.
Eat fewer smoked and pickled foods.
marcin jucha/Shutterstock
Studies find that smoked and pickled foods
contain various carcinogens, so, for examples, choose cucumbers over pickles,
fresh salmon over lox. Many of these pickled vegetables are common in Japanese
and Korean cuisine; the number of people with gastric cancers is higher in
Japan and Korea than in the United States.
Skip drying lamps at the nail salon.
iStock/MoustacheGirl
Although it’s incredibly low for the average
woman, ultraviolet drying lamps at nail salons do carry an increased risk of
skin cancer for every use. According to Georgia Regents University, anyone who
has received between eight and 208 manicures will have damaged skin cells
enough to raise the risk of cancer, though every machine emits different
amounts of UVA radiation. For most of the lamps tested, eight to 14 visits over
24 to 42 months will create damaged DNA. Instead, protect your hands by
applying sunscreen before your mani, or letting your nails air dry.
Take care of your sexual health.
Lemon Tree Images/Shutterstock
The more sexual partners you have (especially
without condom use), the greater your risk of contracting human papillomavirus,
or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer, throat cancer, and penile, vaginal,
and anal cancer. The HPV vaccine is recommended for all tweens of both sexes at
age 11 or 12, as well as for women up to age 26 and men up to age 21. Since the
vaccine was first recommended in 2006, there has been a 56 percent reduction in
HPV infections among U.S. teen girls, even with very low HPV vaccination rates,
the CDC reports.
Reap the advantages of a daily aspirin Rx.
Be Panya/Shutterstock
If your doctor’s recommended that you take
aspirin to help your heart, this may also help protect your body from cancer. A
study from the U.S. National Cancer Institute found that women who used aspirin
daily had a 20 percent lower risk of ovarian cancer than those who used aspirin
less than once a week. (Don’t take aspirin daily without your doctor’s
approval; it can cause bleeding in your digestive tract).
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