Dear DOCTOR Owen:

I have a strong family history of cancer. People in our family have had all types: breast, colon, prostate, ovarian—you name it! Is there anything in my diet that could increase my chances of cancer? Is there anything I can take to prevent cancer?

Cancer Cautious

Dear “Cautious”:

Yours is a very complex question. I will try to do it justice by giving you a quick overview. There are many statistics and data, but few firm answers—in spite of huge financial investments in research and treatment.

Let me first say that tissue from each organ behaves differently in respect to cancer-causing agents. The cancers you mention have little to do with each other either functionally or in their exposure to carcinogens (cancer-inducing agents).

Cancer is caused by a mutation in the chromosomes of a cell. That mutation causes the cell to divide uncontrollably. Most cells reproduce an exact replica from dividing DNA, the genetic code of life. If a break or insertion of abnormal DNA (from a virus) in the native DNA strand occurs, it may cause the DNA to produce changes in the new cell. These new changes may cause the cell to divide uncontrollably, cause the abnormal cell to be protected against your defense system, or simply cause nothing at all.

Breaks occur each time a cell divides. These breaks are cumulative. That is, each abnormal chromosome created then continues to divide, with an even higher chance of more breaks occurring with subsequent divisions. Therefore, tissue with the fastest cell division has the highest chance of developing cancer. Add the chance of constant exposure and damage from carcinogens, and the chances go even higher.

• Skin cancer, the most common cancer, is caused by ultraviolet damage from sunlight to skin cells, and is seen in unprotected white skin. Exposure in childhood may not show up as cancer until people are in their 60s or 70s because cell division “mistakes” take that long to accumulate. If skin cells live for a month, you can calculate how many divisions it may take to finally cause abnormal growth.
• Lung cancer, the most common cancer-causing death, is caused by toxic damage from cigarette smoke. Approximately 6% of women die of lung cancer. Nothing seems to offer protection; some people are more resistant than others. I actually have patients who are smokers; they take antioxidants to prevent cancer! Man, what can you say!
• Breast cancer has genetic tendencies, but no clear cause can be found. Diets high in fat and high in meat are associated with higher rates; diets high in fruits and vegetables are associated with fewer incidences. Animal breast cancer is caused by a virus that becomes part of the DNA and can be passed on for generations. Four percent of women die of breast cancer. (Seventy percent of women die of cholesterol.) From the day a breast cancer cell forms, it takes 10 years for the clump of cancer cells to be large enough to detect.
• Only intestinal and stomach cancers are clearly associated with food. Five percent of women die of intestinal cancer. Smoked food products seem to be the greatest carcinogen. Smoke contains benzoapyrene, the most carcinogenic substance on the planet. It is formed from fat that drips onto a hot flame or coal and from burning wood. At the turn of the century, stomach cancer was the most common cause of cancer death. Lack of refrigeration and preservatives made it necessary to smoke and store most meat. I guess bugs and bacteria that eat meat products aren’t “crazy” because they stayed away! No substance protects against benzoapyrene. Nitrites used as preservatives also may be weakly carcinogenic (cancer causing)
• Ovarian and uterine cancers have no apparent environmental contributors.
• Cervical cancer is clearly associated with infectious agents such as the herpes virus.
• Leukemias and lymphomas also have multiple causes, including viruses or chemical agents. No prevention exists.

Each of us forms approximately 100,000 cancer cells/day, but our defense systems destroy them. Failure of the defense system, therefore, is the greatest “problem.”

You can see that it is impossible to call “cancer” a single disease. The most important thing you can do is to avoid common cancer-causing agents: sunlight, smoke (inhaled or eaten), viruses from unprotected sex, and chemicals such as pesticides. “Taking” antioxidants after such damage has occurred is like pouring a bucket of water on a house fire. Why not take more measures to prevent the fire in the first place?