News from the cancer side: Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research

This week, cancer experts gathered in National Harbor, Maryland for the Seventh Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research of the American Association for Cancer Research (ACCR). The meeting runs from November 16 to 19.

In this news round up post, I’m featuring presentations on cancer prevention and lifestyle risk factors from the conference.

Three esophageal, stomach cancer subtypes linked to smoking; one associated with alcohol use

This large scale study tracked more than 120,000 Dutch residents for over 20 years. Their results show that “smoking is associated with two forms of esophageal cancer as well as a form of stomach cancer, and that drinking alcohol is strongly linked to one form of esophageal cancer.” The results confirm that cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are major risk factors for certain types of cancers.

Exercise and rest reduce cancer risk

Exercise and rest should go hand in hand in cancer prevention. This study indicates that regular exercise lowers a woman’s risk for cancer but only if complemented by the right amount of sleep. Otherwise, sleep deprivation may cancel out exercise’s beneficial effects. According to lead study author Dr. James McClain, “greaterparticipation in physical activity has consistently been associated with reduced risk of cancer incidence at several sites, including breast and colon cancers. Short duration sleep appears to have opposing effects of physical activity on several key hormonal and metabolic parameters…”

Saturated fat linked to cancer of the small intestine

Saturated fats are bad news to your cardiovascular medicine. It seems that they are also bad news to your small intestine. This study identified saturated fat intake as a possible risk factors for cancer of the small intestine. Furthermore, they also observed that diet rich in red and processed meat is a risk factor for cancer of the large intestine.

Why only some former smokers develop lung cancer

Some get it, some not. The question is, why? Apparently it has something to do genetics. This Canadian research studied “how DNA methylation contributes to lung cancer development in former smokers. Methylation is an important event regulating gene expression during normal development. As we age and in cancer, proper patterns of DNA methylation become deregulated throwing off the tight control of gene activity that normally exists.”

Behavior/lifestyle factors influence cancer risk among the elderly

80% of all cancers occur in the elderly, according to researchers at Duke University. Most of the risk factors for these diseases are preventable. The study found that lifestyle, behavioural and demographic factors among the elderly have a significant contribution on the risk of cancers of the breast, lung, colon and prostate.