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“It Directly Causes At Least Seven Kinds Of Cancer”: 30 Oncologists Give Tips You Shouldn’t Ignore
The dreaded C-word... cancer. It's a leading cause of death worldwide, with nearly 10 million people dying from the disease every year. An estimated 618,120 cancer-related deaths are estimated in 2025, in the United States alone. While many of the causes are widely publicized, like smoking, there are others that aren't spoken about too much.
Someone recently asked oncologists to name the things they never/always do, or eat, because of what they know about cancer, and thousands of responses followed. From using as little plastic as possible, to never drinking alcohol, cancer experts were happy to share their advice with netizens. Among the replies were a few that revealed whether or not you get cancer is largely to do with the luck of the draw.
Bored Panda has put together a list of the top answers for you to scroll through. And some might have you rethinking your lifestyle choices. We've also put together some info on cancer, based on stats and data from the National Cancer Institute. You'll find that between the images.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Cancer researcher here. You can do everything right and still get cancer. You can do everything wrong- smoke drink be fat etc and not get cancer. It’s bad luck and genetics.
Mook The Mediocre 6 months ago
Yeah, it's a bit like jumping off a bridge. It may not kíill *everyone* who tries it, but the odds are certainly not in their favour.
FranSinclair 6 months ago (edited)
Did your caregivers ever ask you "if all of your friends jumped off of a bridge, would you do it too?!" And ever since i was like 6 i thought...well they all went first and if theyre okay, then yes mom, i would like to try." 😆
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Panda Bear 6 months ago
I had cancer when I was 5. Some people just don’t win the genetic lottery.
Anna Drever 6 months ago
There’s the saying “Genetics loads the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger”. So while it’s true sometimes it’s just the luck of the draw we can still do our best not to get certain cancers by not smoking etc, etc. And I say that as someone who lost her grandmother to lung cancer, and yes she was a smoker.
meeeeeeeeeeee 6 months ago
This implies you may as well be a fat, alco, meat eater, who smokes non stop and lives in an asbestos house.
WubiDubi 6 months ago
We all get cancer regularly and our body identifies it and deals with it. Until it doesn't. The sheer varieity and that some can be virus triggered (HPV), more likely by high hormone levels (HRT), genetic (breast and prostate), environment triggered (lung), throat (alcohol), colon (UPF meat) is amazingly scary. They also have replication speeds depending on the source so if colon cancer spreads (slow) vs. lung cancer spreads (fast).
Little Bit 6 months ago
I always say you have a 50/50 chance of getting cancer regardless of your lifestyle. It's totally the luck of the draw.
We hear about cancer a lot: people getting it, people beating it, people dying. The disease is among the leading causes of death worldwide, and America's National Cancer Institute (NCI) has revealed that there were almost 20 million new cases and 9.7 million cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2022.
By 2050, the number of new cancer cases per year is expected to rise to 33 million, warns the Institute, adding that the number of cancer-related deaths is set to climb to 18.2 million.
But what exactly is this dreaded disease? Well, according the NCI, cancer is when some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body.
RELATED:
#2
Former fellow of the National Cancer Institute here—I hate to tell you this but it’s alcohol. It directly causes at least seven kinds of cancer. Twenty years from now we will talk about alcohol the way we talk about cigarettes today.
Billo66 6 months ago (edited)
Us older smokers weren't able to make an informed choice. They were advertised as good for your lungs while showing a filter cross section full of asbestos. Everyone smoked, it was cool, it was social. Now I'm 60 with COPD and cancer and apparently cigarettes are now like handling uranium. No, it's not fair, but it's a choice I made, albeit an uninformed one. Edit: And furthermore lol. They are becoming so expensive now anyway. It's hard for me to justify spending that much on cigarettes. It is actually cheaper to smoke herb. If you don't count the extra flaming hot cheetos and reeses pieces :)
Missy Moo Moo 6 months ago
Except alcohol, it’s a poison that causes 7 types of cancer
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Michael Joyce 6 months ago
From the following post, at least on BoredPanda! You could live to be 100 if you gave up all the things that make you want to live to be 100.
Fellfromthemoon 6 months ago
Unpopular opinion: marijuana isn't that safe on the long run either. Look up cannabis arteritis. But now, it's LEGAL many places at least, and it's harmless, of course. No, it's not. In moderation, like alcohol, or smoked red meat, its harms are not detectable and it can serve as a medication.
Mook The Mediocre 6 months ago
And by h****in I mean HERÓIN. Panda is such a pain in the árse.
Load More Replies... #3
Oncology nurse here. I would never skip recommended cancer screenings, and I would never ignore weird unexplained symptoms (sudden weight loss, blood coming out your butt, ongoing abdominal pain, excessive bleeding or bruising, odd skin lesions, swollen lymph nodes that aren’t related to acute illness). It’s heartbreaking when people ignore symptoms and don’t get diagnosed until the cancer is too advanced for treatment to be helpful.
Also, I’m a big fan of sunscreen. Surgeries to remove skin cancer can do some gnarly things to your face.
Wild Cream 6 months ago
My mum is the kind of lady who hates “bothering people.” She mentioned her lymph nodes had been swollen for ages but she didn’t feel sick. Luckily we convinced her to go to the dr. It was non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Got her some treatment and chemo and she’s been healthy again for years now ☺️
Billo66 6 months ago
For several years I went in for very bad back pain. There were times I couldn't pick up my shoes. They just diagnosed me with chronic back pain and sent me home to take ibuprofen. Every time. So I figured they must think I'm pill seeking or whatever and gave up. The next time I went in I also had pneumonia and during those scans they found final Multiple Myeloma. I have 16 broken bones. 9 compression fractured vertebrae and 7 ribs. I'm 3 inches shorter. I didn't want pills then and I don't take them now. I just wanted them to listen and fix my back ffs.
Billo66 6 months ago
Even my mum didn't believe me. Thought I was just not wanting to work. I made $57 an hour to basically weld a straight line all day are you kidding me? Old folks are funny.
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Earonn - 6 months ago
Thank goodness for the NHS and their screening programs. Also, guys, take it from someone with fresh experience: yes, it's funny to joke about how horrible colonoscopies are, but in truth it was "a little bit uncomfortable". Didn't need any painkiller etc. Ask them if you can watch the screen as well, it's super interesting. TMI? Perhaps, but I had too many people pitying me for the "cruel ordeal" they thought awaited me, I'd rather overshare and take a bit of people's anxiety away.
Cosmos in your eyes 6 months ago
My friend tried to tell me the sunscreen I was putting on was actually cancer. I was like, NOPE, you are wrong and I will die on this hill.
"Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells," explains the site. Human cells grow and multiply to form new cells as the body needs them. But sometimes things go wrong and abnormal or damaged cells grow and multiply when they shouldn’t.
"These cells may form tumors, which are lumps of tissue. Tumors can be cancerous or not cancerous (benign)," the NCI says. Another term for cancerous tumors is malignant tumors. And while many cancers form solid tumors, cancers of the blood, like leukemias, generally don't do this.
#4
Tobacco anything - never. Alcohol - should really be never but I consume it only lightly. Screenings - never skipping one when it is recommended.
All this to say I still got breast cancer at the ripe age of 36 so sometimes you just can’t do much about bad luck.
Wild Cream 6 months ago
We’ve all heard stories of lifelong chronic smokers and drinkers who die at 106 and never experience cancer or anything from their habits, and then the lifelong health-conscious gym rat who avoids tobacco and alcohol and always eats their veggies and dies at 30 from cancer. NOT saying you shouldn’t avoid carcinogens and pursue a healthy lifestyle - you absolutely should for many many many reasons, not just longer lifespan - but sometimes sht just happens to you no matter how hard you try, and that’s just a super lame fact of life :(
Ms.GB 6 months ago
I avoid those things hoping I at least won't have a horrible time if I make to 80. Neither of my parents made it to 80 and they both had horrible endings. My dad drank and smoked my mom was really healthy all her life. All 4 grandparents went pretty easy in comparison. You just never know and that scares me.
Load More Replies... Michelle C 6 months ago (edited)
Yup. Smoking killed my maternal grandmother and she lived into her 90s. I am convinced she would have been a centenarian like my grandfather’s great-grandfather John had been had she smoked little or not at all. My grandmother also had several centenarians or close to it in her own lines.
Lil be lil 5 months ago
It was actually recommended for asthma I thought how could it possibly be goid for asthma?
Load More Replies... #5
You could live to be 100 if you gave up all the things that make you want to live to be 100.
patricia patricia 6 months ago
I don't want to live to be 100 or any specific age. I want to live while I can be fairly independent, look after my animals and wipe my own bottom. Without a minimum independence and dignity, life makes no sense.
keyboardtek 6 months ago
Even if you gave up all the things that definitely cause cancer and heart disease, you still will be giving up many activities you enjoy to make it to 100. The body simply is worn out by that age.
Rick Murray 6 months ago
I call bullsh on this. Bodies wear out, things don't repair themselves like when you're little. Whether cancer or Alzheimer's or just complications from the yearly flu, something will get you and it'll be likely to do so years before 100 - even if you live a perfect and healthy life. Some of it is genetic, some of it is just random luck. Maybe one day your immune system will be like "Mmm, kidney, hello kidney, everything okay? Yeah? KÍLL! KÎLL! KÏLL! KĨLL! KÌLL!".
Billo66 6 months ago
I have abused my body in many ways for many years. Whatever you're thinking, yes, probably twice. Then I was gifted this special cancer that is totally unrelated to anything I ever did. I''m glad I partied hard. That being said I do think keeping a positive attitude, occupying your mind with positive people and surroundings help the healing process.
Load More Replies... #6
Vaping, exactly because we DON'T know if it causes cancer. When I gave up smoking, everyone pushed me to switch to vaping and I was like "No thanks bro, I have no interest in being a guinea pig for this technology which will inevitably be found to cause 28 different cancers and will probably steal your girlfriend, too.".
Wild Cream 6 months ago
Vaping can’t be good for you. I did get my sense of taste and smell back after quitting cigarettes and switching to a vape, but there’s no way breathing in anything but clean regular air is good for you. I had a lil coughing fit at work today and thought “d**n maybe I’m vaping a bit too much this morning” only to remember my vape was left in my car for the last hour or two, there wasn’t any reason for me to be coughing like that except for the vape. (I am working on quitting btw! 👏😊)
Janelle Collard 6 months ago
I tried vaping once. It hurt my lungs. So I had acupuncture to quit smoking. Took 8 sessions but it worked! Best money I ever spent.
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keyboardtek 6 months ago
And they will probably find smoking marijuana causes lung cancer too. Inhaling any kind of particulates will cause some kind of lung damage. One doctor asked me about the recreational dug use I did back in my 1970's youth. I told her it was mostly pot. She was concerned because back then it was grown with tons of pesticides. It never occurred to me that I was inhaling poison as well as THC.
meeeeeeeeeeee 6 months ago
It causes popcorn lung for sure...there's no way it won't cause cancer, but my guess is it will turn out to be much worse than smoking
Little Bit 6 months ago
Personally I think that vaping is just as bad as smoking. You don't really know what's in the vapes. I don’t imaging that inhaling any chemical into your lungs is good for you.
Wild Cream 6 months ago
I think we have a pretty good idea that they don’t 😂
Load More Replies...You might have heard the word "metastasis." This is when cancerous tumors spread into, or invade, nearby tissues and travel to distant places in the body to form new tumors.
"Benign tumors do not spread into, or invade, nearby tissues. When removed, benign tumors usually don’t grow back, whereas cancerous tumors sometimes do," the NCI site explains. "Benign tumors can sometimes be quite large, however. Some can cause serious symptoms or be life-threatening, such as benign tumors in the brain."
So, who is at risk of getting cancer? Keep scrolling to find out...
#7
Oncology genetic counselor here - it's literally my job to figure out if someone's cancer is due to inherited risk and assess lifestyle risk factors that contribute to diagnoses.
Things I would never do:
-Smoke (increases risk for lung, breast, pancreatic, colon cancers and more)
-Alcohol (there is no "safe" amount - increases risk for colon, pancreatic, breast cancers and more - I tell my patients to limit it to weddings and funerals if they can)
-Aspartame (in many diet sodas, may increase risk for colon cancers)
-Eat too much red meat (no more than 2 servings weekly on average, increases risk for colon cancer)
-controversial: join the armed services in the US. The number of people who developed cancer because of something they were exposed to while serving is just mind-blowing (camp lejeune, asbestos in the navy, the tar pits, agent orange, etc etc etc)
Always recommended:
-keep your primary care informed about your family history of cancer (and other conditions, but that's not our focus here) because it may give you access to earlier or enhanced screening
-Screenings (mammogram, colonoscopies, prostate, skin)
-Exercise (30 min of cardiovascular exercise three times a week is correlated with a lower breast cancer risk)
-keep a healthy body weight (too much and the risk for uterine, colon, breast cancer and more increases)
-fiber (reduces risk of colon cancer)
-sunscreen (basal cell carcinoma is the most common cancer in the world)
-talk to your doctor if you're experiencing any ongoing unexplained symptoms, especially weight loss, fatigue, blood rectally or unexpected vaginally, pain, new lumps/bumps/skin lesions, new/changing moles, ongoing diarrhea/constipation (two week rule can help distinguish a random symptom from something that's more concerning) - I like to tell patients it's probably not cancer, but with your family history, talk to your doctor and make sure.
My biggest advice: do what you can to improve your lifestyle and do the screenings to hopefully catch diagnoses that are out of our control.
JK 6 months ago (edited)
Thank you for mentioning Aspartame! Another article on here tried implying it was *safe* - ASPARTAME IS NOT SAFE! it is an E number, it HAS LINKS TO ADVERSE REACTIONS (headaches, migraines, fricking *brain tumours*). If you want sweeteners, use naturally derived ones (stevycol is brilliant) AVOID ASPARTAME!!
kaycee14 6 months ago
My dad had colon cancer linked to the chemicals he was exposed to in Vietnam.
keyboardtek 6 months ago
An acquaintance's whole family got cancer. They lived in a rural area and they had a well. Eventually they discovered their well water was contaminated from local farm pesticides getting into the water table. Who knows what amount of cancer is caused by wells contaminated by fracking chemicals.
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BrownEyedGrrl 6 months ago
My dad died from colon cancer. He was 49. I'm in my 60s and can only have a colonoscopy every 10 years, even with rectal bleeding. Guess where I live.
#8
All you mf's in here trying to extend your life. Have you not had a good gander of how the world is now? Eat the cake, drink the wine, enjoy that bacon. We're all gonna die anyway, why not enjoy the few things available to us. In addition, my mom never smoked or drank and ate healthier and exercised more than anyone old person I knew yet she died of a nasty throat/mouth/head cancer that did her in a couple of years ago at the age of 76. My dad drinks like a fish and smoked for 25 years and at 78 he's still kickin' with minor health issues. It's the luck of the draw in my opinion.
CD King 6 months ago
My mom was healthy and active and died at 58 from pancreatic cancer. At the end of Feb she looked normal\ healthy by the beginning of May she was dead. The most horrifying and traumatizing event in my life. I am so glad Canada has MAID ( medical assistance in dying) because if I get diagnosed with those nasty terminal cancers I will die with dignity and not terrified and in pain like my mother.
Ms.GB 6 months ago
Same! My Dad died of pancreatic cancer at 68 and he was gone in 3 months.
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Verfin22 6 months ago
We all have one life. How we choose to live it is no one's business. Cancer doesn't discriminate, it just happens. Explain to me how a child who hasn't had time to make bad decisions develops cancer. Enjoy your life how you want and hopefully it will bring happiness and fulfillment. *Side note* Cancer would be easier to cure or prevent if companies weren't so greedy. How many fundraisers and telethons does it take to make cancer not a death sentence?
Hugo Raible 4 months ago
Would you rather play Russian roulette with 1 or 5 bullets? That's the difference here.
Load More Replies... Wild Cream 6 months ago
Kind of the way I feel too. I could try to live to 110 by eating nothing but unseasoned raw veggies and unseasoned chicken and plain water, and never travel and never take risks and never indulge - but is that a life worth living? 😅 I love the good rich food and the late nights and the exciting risks and the travel and the cannabis and the mushrooms and - although I’m quitting now - the smokes and the drinks. I’ve been lucky enough to indulge and it’s been lovely haha (not saying it’s the way everyone should think, this is just about me haha).
Teresa Hale 6 months ago
Palliative care psychologist here: it’s truly not the dying. It’s the long slow horrible painful decline. Plus a hope roller coaster, medical appointments, expense, etc.
Robert Beveridge 6 months ago
"The fight is not always to the strong, nor the race to the swift. But that's the way to bet." - - Damon Runyon. Here's the thing. Sure, you may be the one in ten thousand who can smoke a pack of Marlboro blacks and drink a fifth of Grey goose every day and live to 103. What do you think the chances of that are? If your answer is anything other than "one in ten thousand", go back to math class.
Teresa Hale 6 months ago
Palliative care psychologist here: it’s not dying, truly. It’s the slow horrible painful decline mentally and physically.
#9
The amount of "not-an-oncologists here" giving out health advice is concerning.
Auntriarch 6 months ago
Some people don't know that the /s indicates sarcasm. Have an uppie.
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Michelle C 6 months ago
What if they have lived through cancer? Patients’ perspectives are critical to understanding, too.
According to the NCI, cancer is a genetic disease, meaning it's caused by changes to genes that control the way our cells function, how they grow and they divide. The site explains that these genetic changes happen for various reasons.
It can be due to errors that occur as cells divide, or because of damage to DNA caused by harmful substances in the environment (like tobacco, alcohol or the ultraviolet rays from the sun). But cancer can also be inherited from our parents.
#10
Why do doctors keep recommending mammograms for women with dense breast tissue? Mammograms can’t detect it in dense tissue until it’s too late. Why aren’t they doing MRIs and ultrasounds instead which can detect it earlier in dense tissue?
My wife just found this out the hard way. And she was shocked that she was getting the wrong kind of scan every year. Now it’s probably too late for her.
KLL 6 months ago
$$$ and womens health are not compatible in north America. If it's not related to pumping out babies it is criminally under funded.
Deirdre M 6 months ago
When i get my mammogram every year they do both a regular mammogram then an ultrasound, which can be very painful. Gor some reason insurance will not let me just get ultrasound for my dense breasts. Crazy.
Ms.GB 6 months ago
I'm scared. I have a larger chest and I know it's gonna hurt. My mom cried and I've never seen her cry of pain before.
Load More Replies... Janelle Collard 6 months ago
Depends on how advanced the mammogram machines are. I have dense breasts + the machines at my medical providers can look deeper now than they did 5 or 10 years ago.
Tamara Heikalo 6 months ago (edited)
Thermogram. This HAS to become the norm. Then, and only then, if something odd shows up, go for a mammogram. Now to convince the greedy effers who push for the radiation c**p... it's all about the money.
#11
Not an oncologist, but I’m a radiation therapist, so I treat cancer patients every day. Obviously there are lifestyle habits you should avoid because they are linked to certain cancers or considered risk factors associated with certain cancers. That being said, one hard truth I’ve learned in the my years of doing this job is cancer really doesn’t discriminate. If it comes for you, it comes for you. I’ve treated 11 month old babies with brain tumors, a woman who never smoked a cigarette or had a drink in her life and did not have the BRCA gene and got cancer in not one but both breasts11 years apart- both primaries and not related to the other, triathletes with leukemia…it’s an evil and unfair disease. Now I’m in a specialized field where I only treat skin cancers with a superficial treatment machine, so I see less death and despair. My best piece of advice is WEAR SUNSCREEN and get your moles and spots checked. Health insurance typically covers a yearly total skin check at a dermatologist. .
Hugo Raible 4 months ago
Why wear sunscreen then if cancer doesn't discriminate? The amount of stupidity from professionals here wo do not understand statistics is concerning.
#12
Not an oncologist but my late father was. Don’t smoke, don’t drink alcohol, don’t be overweight, wear sunscreen, minimise eating pork. Eat fibrous vegetables, foods containing turmeric, don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself when using health professionals, and if they’re tossing up whether to go gently or radically, always opt for radically because one day you’ll need the radical surgery anyway, and by then you’ll be less likely to fully recover. One other thing he swore by was having a social life because happy and supported patients last longer even when terminal. My old man died aged 80 of - the irony - a rare cancer with a genetic link, so my own advice is always to keep your MOT screening appointments with the GP.
SouthernGal 6 months ago
I would want to live longer so my child would be older and more self reliant. A friend of mine wanted to live to be at her daughter’s wedding (which she sadly missed). Another didn’t want to predecease her parents to save them from the loss and grief. Many reasons someone could want to live longer.
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Rick Murray 6 months ago
My mother went radically - a brand new medication. Effects of that are what led to her death. Though, to be fair, the cancer was spreading so death was coming, she just sort of got to choose how.
"The body normally eliminates cells with damaged DNA before they turn cancerous," notes the NCI. "But the body’s ability to do so goes down as we age. This is part of the reason why there is a higher risk of cancer later in life."
Research based on data taken between 2018 and 2021 paints a grim picture, revealing that around 38.9% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetimes. And the NCI says that in 2025 alone, an estimated 14,690 children and adolescents ages 0 to 19 will be diagnosed with cancer. 1,650 are expected to die.
#13
Hematopathologist here. I never use herbicide (w**d treatments) on my lawn. I’ve seen too many childhood leukemias/lymphomas,especially in children of parents who work in lawn care. I also don’t smoke or drink alcohol.
Tamara Heikalo 6 months ago
All of the products that have artificial fragrances, all the cleaning products, scented candles, so-called air-fresheners, we who are sensitive to these refer to ourselves as the canaries in the coalmine. We are the warnings for the rest of all living, breathing creatures... Most people will not know why they are sick, when it is because of the c**p they use in their homes and on their bodies. All the chemicals used in most public places... grocery stores, pharmacies, you name it. Most of these places we canaries cannot safely go into. And hey, fireworks, people... poisoning soil, water and air. Seriously.
#14
Cancer nurse here. If you get any unusual symptoms such as lethargy, swollen glands, pain, weight loss, night sweats, a cough that won’t go away etc go get a simple blood test. If you’re bloated, have abdomen or back pain, changes in urine colour, headaches that persists, breathing changes, get an Xray/CT/ultrasound. If your GP dismisses you and doesn’t investigate at all… go get a better GP. The amount of patients that have been diagnosed late have usually been to their GP a few times and not had any tests performed. You can’t always prevent cancer but you can certainly catch it early and give yourself a better chance of beating it. 🙏🏻.
Secret Squirrel 6 months ago
I have many of these prolonged symptoms (cough, lower back pain, night sweats, fatigue, bowel issues). I've never heard of the "simple blood test." What is it called, and do American health insurers cover it?
Ahnjunwan 6 months ago
Because there is not (yet). It is like any desease, you have to look for something particular
Load More Replies... #15
Cancer biologist (researcher) of 20+ years. Avoid all tobacco. Don’t skip screenings. Limit alcohol. Try your best to control your weight. Use as little plastic as possible for food storage and drinkware (glass is best!) and never put plastic in the microwave.
Rick Murray 6 months ago
Glass is best? https://phys.org/news/2025-06-glass-bottles-microplastics-plastic.html You can't escape the stuff these days.
Michelle C 6 months ago
The plastic lids were found to be the source of the microplastics, though.
Load More Replies..."Prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers account for an estimated 48% of all cancers diagnosed in men in 2025," reads the NCI's "Cancer Statistics" page. "For women, the three most common cancers are breast, lung, and colorectal, and they will account for an estimated 51% of all new cancer diagnoses in women in 2025."
#16
My best friend's mom is a breast cancer specialist, who previously worked in the ER. And (this is real) she says the number one behavior she rails against is riding motorcycles. So many gruesome deaths. You can fight cancer, but you can't scrape that body back off the ground (or reattach heads.) Also, smoking is bad.
#17
Tanning salon.
Verfin22 6 months ago
I'm of Italian genes. In just a small time in the sun, I turn golden with no sunburn. But bet your bottom I'm slathered in sunscreen. I don't do it on purpose, it's while I'm tending to my yard.
featherytoad 6 months ago
I'm of Italian genes also, but some how this has escaped me. Mother, sister, brother, they all tan so nice. I'm so pale. I guess my genes on my father's side are more dominate. I believe it's German/Polish on his side, but he always tanned really well himself. His mother and her sisters were pale also. Genes are weird and fascinating.
Load More Replies... Wild Cream 6 months ago
Nope. I’ve never been a tanner. Went to high school in the same grade as a white girl who took it to an absolutely ridiculous level - think Trump, but instead of makeup it was her tanning 5 times a week all year round for almost all of high school. She was orange as heck. She knocked it off finally when we were in our 20s but sadly her skin has paid a HEAVY price 😅 she looks much older than me and she’s had quite a few health scares, luckily nothing serious. I feel bad because she’s lovely, I wish her parents had been more responsible.
featherytoad 6 months ago
I worked with someone like that. She was so dark, and it just looked bad, not natural at all.
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#18
Bone marrow transplant hematology/oncologist here. DO NOT SMOKE. It doesn’t matter what it is, no smoking. Also increase your fiber and avoid Areca and Betel nuts, and get the HPV vaccine (9-valent now available up to age 45).
Wild Cream 6 months ago
Don’t smoke is the most consistent one here. DON’T SMOKE. Yes it feels good. No you shouldn’t do it. Every single smoker who has ever started eventually regrets it and wants to quit. Every single one.
Billo66 6 months ago
I can add a little insight, hope it helps. 1% of the a*******n is nicotine, the rest is routine and withdrawals from that routine. The nicotine really doesn't play as much of a role as the routine. The first cigarette you ever had gave you a feeling, over time you don't notice the feeling so much anymore but you are locked into this routine. Your brain is lying to you telling you the tobacco will make you feel better. It kind of does but not the way you think. You have built up a dependency. When your body feels the nicotine level getting low, you want a cigarette. Not really because you want one, but to k**l the withdrawal symptoms from the last one. Thats why it's so hard to break the chain.
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Lil be lil 5 months ago
Yes, they didn't mention the HPV on here that causes a specific cancer.
According to the NCI's “What Is Cancer?" report, cancer rates are highest in countries where the populations have the highest life expectancy, education level, and standard of living.
"But for some cancer types, such as cervical cancer, the reverse is true," it says. "And the incidence rate is highest in countries in which the population ranks low on these measures."
#19
Cancer scientist and epidemiologist (PhD). Echoing what many have said.
Tobacco (never)
Sunscreen (always)
Alcohol (moderation, less is better)
A huge fan of the HPV vaccination for both males and females. So many preventable cervical and head/neck cancers.
Get recommended screenings and if you have an inherited predisposition talk to your physician about an alternative screening schedule.
Try to move your body and eat nourishing foods.
Everything else is pretty debatable. Live your life and if something feels or looks weird get it checked out.
#20
Oncologist here. Don’t smoke. Maintain a healthy weight. Eat and drink what you want within this framework. Alcohol in moderation is fine. Cancer is a partly genetics, partly exposure, and mostly just age and bad luck.
Billo66 6 months ago
I smoked 43 years. Reading a book was the only thing that finally made it make sense. Hope it helps. 81GKp2rqDO...abfea5.jpg 
Mook The Mediocre 6 months ago
Yep. Life is a lottery, and you never know whether you've won until your dying day.
#21
Not oncologist but hospice nurse. End stage alcoholic liver disease is the most horrifying way to go, and doing what I do has completely changed my relationship with alcohol.
#22
I will always make sure my nieces and nephews are well protected in the sun. Sunburn, especially in childhood, is what significantly increases the risk for melanoma! I also nag at my other family members about good sun protection, as it is prolonged sun exposure that increases the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers.
Wear your sun cream people and do not use sun beds!
EDIT: I’m not an oncologist, but I am a health care professional! I posted this in the middle of the night, and in my sleep deprived state failed to realise the question was aimed oncologists. I hope my answer is still credible and helpful to people!
keyboardtek 6 months ago
What people forget is skin cancer like melanoma does not just affect the skin. It spreads to other parts of the body. My brother started with a melanoma spot on his chest. It spread to the lymph system, his brain, his spine and he lost the ability to walk, to digest food, and to breath. It was a slow horrible death. Wear sun screen.
#23
I'm an oncology nurse and I go out of my way to never heat anything up in plastic. I go out of my way to not buy any drinks that are in plastic. I also pretty much drink alcohol maybe once or twice a year. Sunscreen no matter what & daily physical activity no matter what.
WindySwede 6 months ago
Good luck finding some drink not in contract with plastic? Cans have a thin line of plastic inside of them. Though not as much plastic as a PET bottle, but still in contact with plastic.
Wild Cream 6 months ago
Sunscreen no matter what! I got an affordable face lotion that’s SPF 30 but doesn’t feel like it, it’s super light and has virtually no scent and very basic ingredients so it’s easy to layer with my other skincare. I’ve been using it daily since I was like 25 so even if I happen to forget to put sunscreen on my body, I know my face and chest are covered 😊
#24
I work in path, meaning i’m a doc who uses a microscope to see the f****d up cells taken out of the pt and order whatever molecular-based/immunology based workup (for the actual docs, it’s immunohistochemistry) for identification and prognostication.
on one point, i’ve seen cancers linked to years of smoking and alcohol use. i’ve seen cases of colon and cervical cancers in people who’ve neglected their screenings. i’ve seen pts with more risk factors than a rap sheet have a mildly dysplastic growth on their (insert anatomical part here) and live perfectly normally afterwards
on the other hand, just like many of the people who’ve commented here, there’s been a rise in number of pts with late-stage (stage II, III, IV) breast, cervical, ovarian, lung, stomach, kidney, etc cancers in pts with few if any risk factors, the cause of which is still unknown as to what’s driving this increase. whoever finds out why more gen Xers and millennials are getting cancer at such higher incidence rates than BB’s will win a nobel.
in essence, reduce/eliminate whatever bad habits you can such as smoking and drinking, get exercise, eat fiber, but don’t see it as a guarantee against cancer. no one is too young to get it (youngest colorectal case i saw was in their early 20s) but raising up symptoms with a doc who actually cares is important. too many of the old school BB docs blowing off symptoms when there’s been a massive rise in LAMNs, aggressive ovarian cancers, and diffuse gastric adenoCas in this country.
in addition, targeted therapy and immunotherapy, plus targeted radiation and/or new chemo protocols for leukemias and solid tumors has grown exponentially, mainly due to advances in molecular characterization. just recently as of 2 months ago we are testing for a certain molecule common in GI cancers that, if present in someone’s tumor, renders them eligible for a newly developed targeted therapy option.
Rick Murray 6 months ago
Hmm... Big increase in cancers, big increase in in-body pollutants such as that stuff teflon is made of and microplastics, not to mention a whole array of funky new chemicals (like d**n near every fruit these days being "treated" with stuff like imadazole). Coincidence?
Robert Beveridge 6 months ago
F*****g guarantee you that whatever it is will be traceable back to a single cost-saving measure at a multinational corporation that everyone else aped.
meeeeeeeeeeee 6 months ago
probably spraying all the food with posions after world war ii
Load More Replies... meeeeeeeeeeee 6 months ago
How can it be a mystery? People eat so much high processed food, don't eat vegetables, fake s**t in everything like aspartamene, the air is killing us, there's microplastics in everything...and we live in a toxic slime world
#25
Don’t catch Covid repeatedly.
#26
Yeah, its a crapshoot.
20 yr smoker, heavy and light drinking 45 yrs
various d***s & physical recklessness 10 yrs
very bad diet 30+ yrs.
60 Cancer free
sister has never smoked, done d***s, light drinker, decent diet & exercise . . Cancer at 55.
I will say that while being currently cancer-free is great, there are PLENTY of reasons to take better care of yourself than I have.
Being cancer-free at 60 is great, but not so great when you feel closer to 80 half the time.
#27
Not an oncologist, but I had an Air Pollution lecturer once state that he does not eat barbecued food because of the charring and smoke residue carcinogen levels.
Wild Cream 6 months ago
I’ve been reading about that lately. Making me real sad because BBQ chicken on the grill is one of my fave summer foods :( all sweet n smoky
Senjo Krane 6 months ago
And yet, this is how we started cooking meat. It's a national pastime in South Africa and I don't think we are going to stop.
#28
Don't eat cigarettes.
Mook The Mediocre 6 months ago
But low-fat, gluten-free cigarettes with aloe vera aren't so bad - right?
#29
My sil has always been insanely healthy. Her degree is in Nutrition. She is very active, never smoked- rarely drank. She is 58 and has terminal breast cancer.
Little Bit 6 months ago
A friend of my mum's was one of the fittest, healthiest people I have ever known. She never smoked, drank alcohol and always ate healthy foods. She ran marathons as a hobby (she completed marathons and half marathons all over the country most weeks). She went into hospital for an op and when they opened her up the found numerous tumours. Further scans revealed that her entire body was riddled with cancer and it was too late to do anything about it. She passed away just a few weeks later. She was only in her mid 60s.
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#30
Alcohol hands down
I also feel guilty every time I eat too much sugar.
Anna Drever 6 months ago
Agreed. Sugar’s not a health food for sure, but I’d like to see credible studies that say we need to avoid it. Especially when there’s so many other dangerous food choices that folks ignore.
Load More Replies...
#31
Not an Onc however as a Dr I have to say limit your alcohol consumption and get daily exercise. There is no way of cancer proofing, you can take steps however it’s also largely genetic / non-avoidable exposures.
One thing I’ll add, the better shape you are when you do get sick, the better you’ll handle the treatment.
#32
It’s already been said a bunch but hard agree so I’ll repeat it again. Do not smoke tobacco. Do not drink alcohol. Always get your screening anything but I feel extra strong about colonoscopies. Never ignore bloody stools.
#33
Unfortunately, medical school does not cover nutrition the way it should. My toddler just went through a year of cancer treatments and her oncologist and the nutritionist really only cared about her calorie intake, not what the calories were. It's very disheartening and makes you realize why the number of people with cancer keep rising significantly. Even the doctors treating the cancer don't really care about the foods that are causing it.
Her father and I cringe when she goes for follow up scans because the wing was donated by a major processed meat company... knowing processed meat is a class 1 carcinogen.
But welcome to America, where a patient healed is a dollar lost...
Rick Murray 6 months ago
Last sentence may be true, but the flip side is a patient dead is not a repeat customer.
#34
Oncology nurse. Zero tobacco, zero alcohol, regular exercise, do my best to get enough fiber, and stay as hydrated as I can.
#35
Reading all this i'm surprised i have made it this far
Maybe i should start riding a motorcycle to increase my chances of not dying from cancer.
#36
ITT: everything, apparently.
Wild Cream 6 months ago
Honestly yes, an insane amount of things can cause cancer, because of how cancer works
#37
I stopped eating cold cuts due to nitrosamines and also stopped eating burned/charred food, I even do not eat toasted bread that’s more than light brown shade. I used to drink very hot coffee but I drink it warm now since very hot drinks damage esophagus can cause esophageal cancer.
featherytoad 6 months ago
I was just thinking this. I would always light mine on fire for a few seconds
Load More Replies... #38
This is less for what one can do for oneself and more to keep an eye out for: along with chance, genetics, smoking, and alcohol, a difficult childhood with adverse experiences can also significantly increase chances of cancer. A kid can have been in a bad home and do everything right and get hit with cancer because their caretakers didn't do right.
#39
This is a hilarious question. My oncologist laughs at me when I bring up how I eat for my health. Well, not laughs, but to him, there is no connection.
#40
I’m not a doctor. But I’ve gotta say, I’ve met people who never touched a drop of alcohol, never went anywhere near tobacco or coffee, and they still died young of cancer. Point being, you can do everything right and still die. I’m not saying you should smoke and drink your face off, but just have some perspective.
#41
Not an oncologist but I am anesthesia and do many an aneshetic for these.
Unexplained weight loss is ALWAYS bad (thyroid issue or cancer), blood in stool/sputum, daily headaches worse in the AM, night sweats, lymphadenopathy, lumps and bumps, moles that look odd.
Get skin cancer checks, screenings. Don’t smoke. Limit alcohol. Try to be healthy weight, but alas much is genetic.
featherytoad 6 months ago (edited)
My SILs problem was that she was over weight and couldn't lose it until she had her thyroid removed. So, no, not always weight loss.
#42
Something that always surprise my breast cancer patients is when I tell them to avoid vitamins specially antioxidants, as they could be associated with more risk of recurrence and dying from cancer if you take them while on cancer treatment, or even before treatment.
There is a lot of information regarding this issue with contradictory results, but until we get better information it is logical to be cautious about vitamins.
#43
My close friend's mom was put on mood stabilizers and given psych appointments after she experienced falls, panic attacks, and fainting.
When she lost vision in one eye, they actually did some scans and determined that she didn't have anxiety, she was dying of eye cancer that had spread to her brain.
#44
Avoid processed foods, tobacco, alcohol, red meat, and excessive stress. Be sure to exercise and get a consistent 7-8 hours of sleep.
#45
I am not a doctor. However i want to mention being overweight is an issue with estrogen + breast cancer. Fat attracts estrogen. Estrogen impacts the breast cancer.
#46
As someone who grew up with an oncologist in the family (though they are now retired), I can share: They don’t eat red meat. They eat a balanced diet of fish/poultry, lots of fruits & vegetables, and 1 sweet a day. They take daily vitamins & supplements. They drink alcohol very rarely (special occasions, holidays, etc) & keep it to 1-2 beers. No tobacco/d***s. Walk daily & lift weights twice a week at 80 years old. No pesticides on the lawn, as “if it kills one type of vegetation, it will k**l all of the innocent critters & eventually us.” And, wears sunscreen daily, spf 30.
Auntriarch 6 months ago
I thought the avoid vitamins advice was only during treatment for cancer, I may have read it wrong
Load More Replies... meeeeeeeeeeee 6 months ago
People who work in chicken factories are at a higher risk of cancer, I believe, due to a viral cancer that the chicken corpses spread, so perhaps avoid all meat.
WindySwede 6 months ago
Even though herbicides and insecticides are different things. No need for them in an garden. And some YT doctors say excessive vitamins also can be no good for you?
#47
Red Meat and Pork.
N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), a sugar molecule found in red meat, including pork, has been linked to increased cancer risk in humans.
Here's how it relates to cancer risk:
Neu5Gc is a non-human sugar: Humans cannot synthesize Neu5Gc due to a genetic mutation.
Dietary absorption: When humans consume red meat, such as pork, containing Neu5Gc, this sugar molecule can be incorporated into human tissues.
Immune response and inflammation: The human immune system recognizes Neu5Gc as a foreign substance and generates antibodies against it. Repeated consumption and subsequent antibody response can lead to chronic inflammation.
Increased tumor formation: Chronic inflammation is known to increase the risk of tumor formation.
Evidence from studies:
Studies in mice lacking the ability to synthesize Neu5Gc, mimicking the human situation, showed that feeding them Neu5Gc increased spontaneous tumor formation and inflammation.
Studies have also shown that human cancer cells can incorporate Neu5Gc, which can then activate pathways that promote cancer cell growth.
Research suggests that Neu5Gc may affect the gut microbiome, potentially promoting inflammation and cancer risk.
Pork and Neu5Gc: Pork is specifically mentioned as being rich in Neu5Gc.
Cooked organ meats: Studies indicate that Neu5Gc is particularly prevalent in pig organs and that its concentration can increase when cooked.
In summary, the presence of Neu5Gc in pork, when consumed by humans, can lead to chronic inflammation and increased cancer risk through its interaction with the immune system and its potential to promote tumor growth.
WindySwede 6 months ago
"Neu5Gc has been suggested as a mechanism linking processed meat and red meat consumption with colorectal cancer risk.[9][10][11][12]" - wiki
#48
It struck me the other week that no one on my oncology care team is overweight.
So - answering for them - Don’t get fat.
#49
Not an oncologist, but my friends, sister once knew someone who dated an oncologist. They used to avoid eating mr brains pork faggots.
WindySwede 6 months ago
Maybe Multa Nocte fixed the UNIcoding? (Sorry if wrong spelling!)
Load More Replies... Beth Wheeler 6 months ago
I don't know if it's still sold or not but when a lady I used to work with told me about canned pork brain I thought she was messing with me. She told me which aisle it was on in the grocery store. When I saw the cans on the shelf I almost threw up. Who the hell eats pig brain?
Auntriarch 6 months ago
I can think of far more pressing reasons not to eat Brains faggots - they are loathsome.
#50
I have always heard processed meat like lunch meat & hotdogs.
#52
A friend of mine's mom had cancer and she actually educated herself on stuff that "causes cancer" and found that the amount of msg a person would need to consume to get cancer would need to be bucket loads of straight msg. So now I enjoy eating delicious food.
Also, Splenda is fine. I Splenda tf out of my tea, lemonade, pancake mix etc.
And I enjoy diet soda. Knowledge is power.
Pittsburgh rare 6 months ago
Not much scientific evidence of any of these claims. I personally avoid sweeteners, for unrelated reasons
WindySwede 6 months ago
The taste, that's my reason. And few things causes cancer? More stuff increases the risk?
Load More Replies... meeeeeeeeeeee 6 months ago
Clearly it's people in denial that are downvoting you
Load More Replies... #53
Polonium pellets.
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
Lisa T 6 months ago
The problem is, every couple of years they come up with some new thing that’s allegedly carcinogenic, something that most people have been eating or using their whole life already (like plastic containers/bottles).I remember in the 90’s hearing that broccoli was supposedly carcinogenic. I remember that because of how ridiculous I thought that was.
Panda Bear 6 months ago
Cancer is a bïtch. I was only 4 when I was diagnosed and I knew people who were younger than that when they were diagnosed. In fact I knew a guy who was born with cancer.
Peeka_Mimi 6 months ago
I had skin cancer in 2023. Please wear sunscreen. Every time you get a sunburn your chance for skin cancer goes up exponentially. Skin is your biggest body organ and if not caught is very deadly. I had a MOHRS procedure on the bit of cancer they found. I always wear sunscreen now. Always.
Ahnjunwan 6 months ago
Agree on everything you wrote and i hope you have regular check ups. Altough the benefit of sunscreen is a bit disputed because some people came up with the idea that the lotion itself might cause cancer, there is so far no evidence that this is true. Btw peeka_mimi, i think you refer to mohs procedure, named after the man who did it first about almost 100 years ago 😉. Until today this procedure is standard. Anyway, sunscreen alone will not be enough for some people, even with, please use hats and protective clothes. Do not sunbathe, really, that is apart from smoking one of the worst things you can do for your skin. Stay healthy 🤠
Load More Replies... Little Bit 6 months ago
Here in the UK it is heartbreaking the number of times that patients are repeatedly fobbed off by their doctors and then by the time their cancers are finally diagnosed it is too late. It happened with my nanna, my dad and my father in law. My mum was told via a TELEPHONE CONSULTATION (she was refused a face to face appointment ) that the lump on her breast was 'nothing to worry about.' It turned out to be stage 2 breast cancer. I often wonder how many lives could be saved if doctors took their patients' cancer concerns seriously the first time. Note to doctors - anybody of any age, from any walk of life can get cancer. Nobody is ever too young and you can still get cancer if you are fit, otherwise healthy and if you don't smoke or drink alcohol.
BrunoVI 6 months ago
My former boss's wife had lung cancer. Ironically, she was so healthy that the cancer went undiscovered until it was ravaging her brain. Such a late diagnosis was a death sentence. This would be the stupidest reason ever for smoking, but the irony is that if she had been a smoker, they would've noticed the 50% drop in lung capacity caused by the cancer.
Ahnjunwan 6 months ago
At some age it is not the question qich cancer gets you it is when. Just a matter of time. As pointed out here many times, smoking is bad, i think everybody knows that. My father was a heavy smoker but rarely drank alcohol because he just did not like the taste. Died of liver cancer when he was over 80 years old. I think everybody knows a similar story about some family member. The point is, why push it? Better improve your risk by just not doing it. What i did not read here is being healthy in general. That improves your chances a lot but sadly sometimes you can bot do much about it. Having diabetes and high bloodpressure is not good and opens the door for many other things. I would not limit myself to much because i want to enjoy life after all
james Lang 6 months ago
The battle against pancreatic cancer is challenging, but it's not impossible. With the right herbal doctor – a very strong one at that – and a resilient spirit, it's possible to navigate this difficult journey and come out on top. I am a survivor, and I am grateful for every day, and especially to Dr. Kokobi! Kindly reach out to him via email: kokobiherbalremedycentre@gmail.com
Paul Sloan 6 months ago
It is quite apparent the folks whom visit BF can’t stand the celerity bûllshït. Maybe TMZ is hiring.
Lisa T 6 months ago
The problem is, every couple of years they come up with some new thing that’s allegedly carcinogenic, something that most people have been eating or using their whole life already (like plastic containers/bottles).I remember in the 90’s hearing that broccoli was supposedly carcinogenic. I remember that because of how ridiculous I thought that was.
Panda Bear 6 months ago
Cancer is a bïtch. I was only 4 when I was diagnosed and I knew people who were younger than that when they were diagnosed. In fact I knew a guy who was born with cancer.
Peeka_Mimi 6 months ago
I had skin cancer in 2023. Please wear sunscreen. Every time you get a sunburn your chance for skin cancer goes up exponentially. Skin is your biggest body organ and if not caught is very deadly. I had a MOHRS procedure on the bit of cancer they found. I always wear sunscreen now. Always.
Ahnjunwan 6 months ago
Agree on everything you wrote and i hope you have regular check ups. Altough the benefit of sunscreen is a bit disputed because some people came up with the idea that the lotion itself might cause cancer, there is so far no evidence that this is true. Btw peeka_mimi, i think you refer to mohs procedure, named after the man who did it first about almost 100 years ago 😉. Until today this procedure is standard. Anyway, sunscreen alone will not be enough for some people, even with, please use hats and protective clothes. Do not sunbathe, really, that is apart from smoking one of the worst things you can do for your skin. Stay healthy 🤠
Load More Replies... Little Bit 6 months ago
Here in the UK it is heartbreaking the number of times that patients are repeatedly fobbed off by their doctors and then by the time their cancers are finally diagnosed it is too late. It happened with my nanna, my dad and my father in law. My mum was told via a TELEPHONE CONSULTATION (she was refused a face to face appointment ) that the lump on her breast was 'nothing to worry about.' It turned out to be stage 2 breast cancer. I often wonder how many lives could be saved if doctors took their patients' cancer concerns seriously the first time. Note to doctors - anybody of any age, from any walk of life can get cancer. Nobody is ever too young and you can still get cancer if you are fit, otherwise healthy and if you don't smoke or drink alcohol.
BrunoVI 6 months ago
My former boss's wife had lung cancer. Ironically, she was so healthy that the cancer went undiscovered until it was ravaging her brain. Such a late diagnosis was a death sentence. This would be the stupidest reason ever for smoking, but the irony is that if she had been a smoker, they would've noticed the 50% drop in lung capacity caused by the cancer.
Ahnjunwan 6 months ago
At some age it is not the question qich cancer gets you it is when. Just a matter of time. As pointed out here many times, smoking is bad, i think everybody knows that. My father was a heavy smoker but rarely drank alcohol because he just did not like the taste. Died of liver cancer when he was over 80 years old. I think everybody knows a similar story about some family member. The point is, why push it? Better improve your risk by just not doing it. What i did not read here is being healthy in general. That improves your chances a lot but sadly sometimes you can bot do much about it. Having diabetes and high bloodpressure is not good and opens the door for many other things. I would not limit myself to much because i want to enjoy life after all
james Lang 6 months ago
The battle against pancreatic cancer is challenging, but it's not impossible. With the right herbal doctor – a very strong one at that – and a resilient spirit, it's possible to navigate this difficult journey and come out on top. I am a survivor, and I am grateful for every day, and especially to Dr. Kokobi! Kindly reach out to him via email: kokobiherbalremedycentre@gmail.com
Paul Sloan 6 months ago
It is quite apparent the folks whom visit BF can’t stand the celerity bûllshït. Maybe TMZ is hiring.
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