Cancer cases have risen relentlessly over the past eight decades, increasingly affecting younger and younger people. It is indeed “the emperor of all maladies” and “the king of all terrors.” If current trends continue, nearly half the population in developed countries will develop cancer during their lifetime by 2040.
Countless factors can contribute to the development of cancer. But what has driven the INCREASE (the delta) in cancer cases over the past eighty years?
- It is not our genes — they have changed little over the past eight decades. If any changes have occurred, natural selection would tend to reduce, not increase, cancer risk. Furthermore, the probability of both identical twins developing cancer is less than 10%. Consider, too, that even among women carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer was about 24% before 1940 but has risen to nearly 80% today.
- It is not aging — although aging brings normal wear and tear, it does not cause cancer. In fact, my research shows that aging is an anti-cancer factor.
- It is not lifestyle factors either — although unhealthy lifestyles can contribute to cancer and other chronic diseases, population-level lifestyles have generally improved over the past eight decades. We exercise more, smoke far fewer cigarettes, consume less sugar and fewer calories, and do not drink more alcohol than previous generations. We cannot blame high temperatures for frostbite.
- With mathematical certainty, the principal culprit is the cumulative exposure to countless toxic chemicals in our food, water, air, consumer products, and building materials.
Cancer cannot be stopped by chasing elusive “cures.” Prevention is imperative, but prevention cannot succeed unless we truly understand its primary driver.
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