Global trends of cancer: The role of diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors

Abstract Effective treatment of cancer requires understanding the nature of the disease and accurately addressing the main root causes. General risk factors for cancer include poor nutrition, an acidogenic diet, an unhealthy lifestyle, and exposure to carcinogens such as toxins, chemicals, and radiation. The risk of developing cancers may be reduced by sufficient oxygenation and maintaining optimal alkalinity and nutritional balance at the cell level. The review paper summarizes some diet and lifestyle modifications that may potentially be considered for preventing and controlling some cancers. Moreover, worldwide statistical data for cancer incidence rates published by International Agency for Research on Cancer are analyzed for certain cancers regionally, concerning the effect of dietary habits and environmental factors that meaningfully correlate with the global trends of cancer. The study of cancer root causes integrated with analyzing the statistics related to cancer incidence rates suggests that the risk of developing cancer may be reduced by modifying dietary habits and lifestyle factors, as well as reducing exposure to carcinogens. Those with healthy balanced dietary habits may have a lower cancer risk than those who frequently have unhealthy diets; hence, considering a balanced natural diet and healthy lifestyle may be suggested as a complementary or alternative solution in cancer treatments.