According to a new study, healthy lifestyle choices, including physical activity and a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, may be able to counteract the genetic risks for five cancers.

A survey was conducted with around 200,000 individuals in the UK Biobank about their lifestyle habits from 2006 to 2010. The baseline genetic risks for various cancers were evaluated for the participants and they were assessed for new-onset cancer through 2019. It was noted that unhealthy habits heightened the overall risk of cancer by 32%. Unhealthy habits were associated with a heightened risk of eight types of cancer, including lung cancer, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.5, bladder cancer (HR 2.03), pancreatic cancer (HR 1.98), kidney cancer (HR 1.91), pharyngeal cancer (HR 1.69), uterine cancer (HR 1.63), colorectal cancer (HR 1.42), and breast cancer (HR 1.42). Of note, healthy lifestyles did not appear to diminish the risk of melanoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, ovarian cancer, or lymphocytic leukemia.

Healthy lifestyle choices appeared to be of greater benefit among people who have a high genetic susceptibility to colorectal, breast, and pancreatic cancers, and may completely negate the genetic risk for lung and bladder cancers, stated authors… (Medscape)