Cancer Prevention

After skin cancers, breast and prostate cancers are the most common malignancies in women and men, respectively, and they are two of the top cancer killers. In many ways the breast is for women what the prostate is for men. They are structurally similar, both being hormone-sensitive, fluid-secreting organs that develop at puberty. In general, by the time a cancer in either of these glands becomes what we would call a true cancerous lesion, it has been growing slowly for ten to thirty years, and the cells involved in the cancer have gone through a multiphase process. There is good evidence that the right foods can help block the progression of these cancers in their early phases, thereby preventing the ultimate development of a full-blown (metastatic) cancer.

 

 

In breast and prostate cancer, genetic predisposition probably accounts for less than 10% of all cancer cases. While there are molecular tests for some of these genetic markers, it should be noted that these tests are hard to interpret. In general, the recommendation is to see a genetic counselor if:

 

When it comes to preventing cancer antioxidants have shown to be quite powerful. Plants are rich in antioxidants. When doing research on preventing cancer there is no one specific fruit or vegetable linked with cancer prevention. Nor did I find convincing evidence that any one supplement, derived from these nutrients, will ensure a life that is cancer free. Overall, the greatest protection seems to be conferred on people who, over many years, eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, be they red, green, purple, orange or yellow.

That being said, there are a number of antioxidant-rich foods: