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| Cancer is not just 'bad luck' but down to environment, study suggests | Cancer is not just 'bad luck' but down to environment, study suggests |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Cancer is overwhelmingly a result of environmental factors and not largely down to bad luck, a study suggests. | Cancer is overwhelmingly a result of environmental factors and not largely down to bad luck, a study suggests. |
| Earlier this year, researchers sparked a debate after suggesting two-thirds of cancer types were down to luck rather than factors such as smoking. | Earlier this year, researchers sparked a debate after suggesting two-thirds of cancer types were down to luck rather than factors such as smoking. |
| The new study, in the journal Nature, used four approaches to conclude only 10-30% of cancers were down to the way the body naturally functions or "luck". | The new study, in the journal Nature, used four approaches to conclude only 10-30% of cancers were down to the way the body naturally functions or "luck". |
| Experts said the analysis was "pretty convincing". | Experts said the analysis was "pretty convincing". |
| NHS: How to reduce your cancer risk | NHS: How to reduce your cancer risk |
| Cancer is caused by one of the body's own stem cells going rogue and dividing out of control. | Cancer is caused by one of the body's own stem cells going rogue and dividing out of control. |
| That can be caused either by intrinsic factors that are part of the innate way the body operates, such as the risk of mutations occurring every time a cell divides, or extrinsic factors such as smoking, UV radiation and many others that have not been identified. | That can be caused either by intrinsic factors that are part of the innate way the body operates, such as the risk of mutations occurring every time a cell divides, or extrinsic factors such as smoking, UV radiation and many others that have not been identified. |
| The argument has been about the relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. | The argument has been about the relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. |
| In January, a report in the journal Science tried to explain why some tissues were millions of times more vulnerable to developing cancer than others. | In January, a report in the journal Science tried to explain why some tissues were millions of times more vulnerable to developing cancer than others. |
| Their explanation came down to the number of times a cell divides, which is out of our control and gave rise to the 'bad luck' hypothesis. | Their explanation came down to the number of times a cell divides, which is out of our control and gave rise to the 'bad luck' hypothesis. |
| In the latest study, a team of doctors from the Stony Brook Cancer Centre in New York approached the problem from different angles, including computer modelling, population data and genetic approaches. | In the latest study, a team of doctors from the Stony Brook Cancer Centre in New York approached the problem from different angles, including computer modelling, population data and genetic approaches. |
| They said the results consistently suggested 70-90% of the risk was due to extrinsic factors. | They said the results consistently suggested 70-90% of the risk was due to extrinsic factors. |
| Dr Yusuf Hannun, the director of Stony Brook, told the BBC News website: "External factors play a big role, and people cannot hide behind bad luck. | Dr Yusuf Hannun, the director of Stony Brook, told the BBC News website: "External factors play a big role, and people cannot hide behind bad luck. |
| "They can't smoke and say it's bad luck if they have cancer. | "They can't smoke and say it's bad luck if they have cancer. |
| "It is like a revolver, intrinsic risk is one bullet. | "It is like a revolver, intrinsic risk is one bullet. |
| "And if playing Russian roulette, then maybe one in six will get cancer - that's the intrinsic bad luck. | "And if playing Russian roulette, then maybe one in six will get cancer - that's the intrinsic bad luck. |
| "Now, what a smoker does is add two or three more bullets to that revolver. And now, they pull the trigger. | "Now, what a smoker does is add two or three more bullets to that revolver. And now, they pull the trigger. |
| "There is still an element of luck as not every smoker gets cancer, but they have stacked the odds against them. | "There is still an element of luck as not every smoker gets cancer, but they have stacked the odds against them. |
| "From a public health point of view, we want to remove as many bullets as possible from the chamber." | "From a public health point of view, we want to remove as many bullets as possible from the chamber." |
| There is still an issue as not all of the extrinsic risk has been identified and not all of it may be avoidable. | There is still an issue as not all of the extrinsic risk has been identified and not all of it may be avoidable. |
| 'Convincing' | 'Convincing' |
| Kevin McConway, a professor of applied statistics at the Open University, said: "They do provide pretty convincing evidence that external factors play a major role in many cancers, including some of the most common. | Kevin McConway, a professor of applied statistics at the Open University, said: "They do provide pretty convincing evidence that external factors play a major role in many cancers, including some of the most common. |
| "Even if someone is exposed to important external risk factors, of course it isn't certain that they will develop a cancer - chance is always involved. | "Even if someone is exposed to important external risk factors, of course it isn't certain that they will develop a cancer - chance is always involved. |
| "But this study demonstrates again that we have to look well beyond pure chance and luck to understand and protect against cancers." | "But this study demonstrates again that we have to look well beyond pure chance and luck to understand and protect against cancers." |
| Dr Emma Smith, from Cancer Research UK, said: "While healthy habits like not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet and cutting back on alcohol are not a guarantee against cancer, they do dramatically reduce the risk of developing the disease." | Dr Emma Smith, from Cancer Research UK, said: "While healthy habits like not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet and cutting back on alcohol are not a guarantee against cancer, they do dramatically reduce the risk of developing the disease." |
| Follow James on Twitter. | Follow James on Twitter. |