Cancer Isn't Strictly a Matter of Chance

Tomasetti and Vogelstein do not suggest that the occurrence of cancer is strictly a matter of chance. Certain kinds of cancer, such as thyroid cancer, have a clearly identified genetic component. People who have parents, grandparents, or siblings who had thyroid cancer have a much higher risk of developing this particular form of carcinoma.

In other cases, there are clear relationships between lifestyle or environmental exposure and the development of cancer. People who smoke are more likely to develop lung cancer. People who are exposed to certain kinds of chemicals are more likely to develop bladder cancer. Many of the causes of cancer, however, are beyond the ability of individuals to control.

What Are The Implications Of Tomasetti and Vogelstein's Findings?

The implication of Tomasetti and Vogelstein's research for many people who have cancer is that cancer is not their fault. They do not need to feel guilty about having cancer. To a large degree, even in cases of lung and colon cancer, the disease resulted from random forces that caused the DNA damage that led to the disease.

There are also important implications of these findings for future cancer research. If there are no clear environmental or lifestyle factors that cause cancer, then it becomes even more important to have the clinical tools that detect cancer at the earliest possible stage. The focus shifts from preventing cancer to treating it effectively, and early.

See Also: Why Your Cancer Specialist (in the USA) May Be Forced Out of Business

What Can Help You To Avoid Becoming A Cancer Statistic?

Nothing in this research suggests that it is OK to smoke or to carry about massive excesses of body fat. Nothing in this research suggests that asbestos workers will not get mesothelioma or that people exposed to radiation will not develop leukemia. However, the strategy for leading the longest and healthiest life possible shifts from prevention to treatment.

• Certain kinds of cancer have a clear hereditary component. It is still important for your doctor to know your family history in order to be on the lookout for these kinds of cancers.
• The older you get, the more likely you are to develop cancer. The dreaded colonoscopy is essential at age 50, and it is even more that you have had it by age 60 or 70.  The risk of cancer due to errors in stem cell division is cumulative, so that by the time you are 85 or older, you are tremendously more likely to develop cancer than you were, say, at age 30 or 40.
• Aiming for an ideal weight is a useful goal for many reasons, but don't assume you will develop or any other disease just because you have not been able to take off the pounds. Weight control is important to good health, but it is not the only factor in the development of disease. Do your best to achieve a healthy weight, but don't neglect other healthy lifestyle choices in the process.