Mass General Brigham Investigators Share Four Research-Backed Ways to Reduce Cancer Risk
By now you may be aware of some of the biggest steps you can take to reduce your risk of cancer—wearing sunscreen, quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet or limiting your exposure to hazardous chemicals, just to name a few.
But the truth is that there is no one-size-fits all approach to reducing cancer risk. Different cancers have different risk factors, and different individuals may be more at risk than others due to genetic, lifestyle, environmental and other factors.
Researchers across Mass General Brigham are working to untangle this complex web to help identify the patient populations that are most vulnerable to certain types of cancers and identify ways to reduce those risks.
In recognition of World Cancer Research Day on Tuesday, Sept. 24, here are four research-backed strategies for reducing cancer risk:
Don’t Procrastinate on Preventive Screenings
Did you know that colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Black individuals in the United States? Despite this, many Black people do not receive timely colon cancer screenings.
A recent study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researcher Adjoa Anyane-Yeboa, MD, MPH, sought to learn more about the barriers preventing Black individuals aged 45 or older from receiving colon cancer screenings (45 is the recommended age to start screenings).
Using a combination of in-person and written surveys, the team learned that the most frequently reported barrier was self-reported procrastination. Reasons for procrastination included financial concerns, COVID-19 concerns and fear of both the test and bowel preparation.
The researchers also found that despite most Black individuals wanting to talk to their doctors about screenings, only 20% reported that their healthcare providers mentioned screenings during their clinical visits.
Anyane-Yeboa and team used the results of the survey to develop a guidebook to help Black individuals, providers, advocacy organizations and health systems develop more effective messaging about colorectal cancer screenings. Learn more.
Improve Your Sleep Health
Insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, has been linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer, though the details of that connection have remained unclear. A research team led by Heming Wang, PhD, an investigator in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), recently used a genetic method called Mendelian randomization study to look further into these links.
The team found that insomnia increased the risk of a one type of ovarian cancer but not others. Insomnia was also associated with poorer overall survival in ovarian cancer.
These findings suggest that addressing insomnia with your doctor may help prevent certain types of ovarian cancer and improve outcomes for those already diagnosed, Wang and team write. Learn more.
Know the Risks and Benefits of Daily Aspirin Use
While aspirin has shown some protective effects against colon cancer, daily use carries risks such as inflammation and bleeding. So, it is important to know it you are more likely to benefit from daily aspirin use.
In a recent study, an MGH research team led by Daniel Sikavi, MD, and Andrew Chan, MD, MPH, found that individuals with the least healthy lifestyle habits (higher body mass index, greater alcohol use, less physical activity and poor diet quality) had multiple factors that increased their overall risk of developing colorectal cancer—and that daily aspirin use proportionally lowers that risk.
Individuals with a healthier lifestyle had a lower overall risk of colon cancer but did not see the same protective benefits from daily aspirin use.
The findings could help guide conversations between patients and their healthcare providers about the risks and benefits of aspirin use. Learn more.
Cut Down on Drinking Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
While the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages has declined steadily in the U.S from 2003 through 2018, the overall intake remains high, with 65.3% of white adults reporting that they consumed at least some sugar-sweetened beverages on a given day in 2017-2018.
Researchers from BWH recently investigated the association between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and the subsequent risk of developing liver cancer among postmenopausal women.
Analyzing data from the Women’s Health Initiative, the team found positive associations between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and liver cancer.
Longgao Zhao, PhD, the lead author of the study, cautions that the findings are observational in nature. It’s still not clear if sugar-sweetened beverages are the cause of liver problems or if a high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is an indicator of other lifestyle factors that lead to adverse liver health.
While more research is needed to unravel these connections, it may not be a bad idea to replace some of those sugary drinks with a non-sweetened alternative. Learn more.