AS ONE of the 50 cancer experts who contributed to the Cancer 2025 think tank and report, I must point out that the view that cancer cases will treble in a generation was not unanimous (News, last week).
Cancer is 65% to 80% lifestyle related. Surely within the next 20 years we can generate both the political and personal will to change radically the incidence of this disease, which currently affects one in three and kills one in four? It is a public health catastrophe in developed countries. The main causes are unhealthy diet, 35%, smoking 30%, excess alcohol 5% and lack of exercise 1.5%.
Further to this a minority are due to radiation, excess sunlight, occupational and environmental pollutants and arguably the contraceptive pill and HRT.
What most of the other cancer experts at this meeting seemed to underestimate is the impact of the holistic healthcare revolution.
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My own solution has been to create a health creation programme supported by mentors who coach individuals out of risk into positive health. The next goal is to create a standard for organisations to ensure a safe environment for staff and cultivating an ethos of self-responsibility.
It is a matter of giving motivation and support to get people to change their health-defining behaviours, rather than just giving frightening health warnings which do nothing to help us change.
Dr Rosy Daniel
Integrated Medicine Consultant
Health Creation, Bristol
(Former medical director, The Bristol Cancer Help Centre