New research evidence has shown that cancer is not entirely a hereditary genetic disease as previously thought. The research, which reviewed this evidence, suggests a multifaceted approach to better understanding tumors and how to prevent and treat them.
According to a study conducted at the University of Alberta in Canada, the genetic component is just one piece of the cancer puzzle, and researchers need to also consider environmental and metabolic factors. The study, published by "Daily Science," stated: "Heritable cancers account for only 5 to 10% of all cancer types, while the remaining 90 to 95% began with other factors that, in turn, lead to genetic mutations."
David Wishart, a professor of biological sciences supervising the study, noted, "The theories about the causes of cancer can be classified into three groups: the first is that it is a hereditary disease, focusing on genes. The second is that it is an environmental disease, focusing on everything the body is exposed to throughout life. The third is that it is a disease related to metabolism and all the by-products of this process."
Not much research has yet been conducted on the metabolic perspective. Genes, environmental exposure, and metabolism work together in a feedback loop as cancer develops and spreads.
Wishart explained: "Cancer starts genetically, but the genetic mutation itself is often not enough for it to develop and spread. However, it creates its own environment and provides specific metabolic products, making it a self-fueling disease, and thus cancer becomes a metabolic disorder."
The study concluded, according to this perspective, that "there is really no difference in where cancer is located; it's something you need to get rid of, and it's about how it thrives or grows, thus the question becomes: what fuel powers this engine?"
