How to avoid CANCER, by Britain’s top doctors – including the exact amount of sex you should be having, the store cupboard staple to use instead of sugar and why you must wear sunscreen for a MANICURE

Cancer cases are at record levels – every 80 seconds someone in the UK is diagnosed with the disease, according to a recent report by Cancer Research UK. INDIA STURGIS asked leading oncologists about the steps they themselves take to reduce their risk of the cancer they treat.

PANCREATIC CANCER

Professor Hendrik-Tobias Arkenau, 53, is a consultant medical oncologist at Leaders in Oncology Care at the Harley Street Clinic, London

ADDS HONEY TO TEA AND COFFEE: Eating too much sugar is linked with an increased chance of developing diabetes, which in turn is associated with a higher risk of pancreatic cancer. 

Studies show it may contribute to obesity and aggressive tumour growth, while also triggering inflammation and increasing the risk of many cancers.

To avoid massive sugar spikes I avoid fizzy drinks and fast food – and add honey rather than sugar to my tea and coffee: this raises blood sugar more slowly than refined sugar and also contains antioxidants.

SWAPS BUTTER FOR OLIVE OIL: Roughly 12 per cent of pancreatic cancers in the UK are linked with being overweight. And a 2022 study found people who ate the most olive oil had lower risk of pancreatic cancer. This is likely to be beneficial as part of a wider Mediterranean-style diet, which can help with weight management.

I’ve swapped butter for olive oil in cooking and also eat oily fish, such as salmon and mackerel (rich in omega-3 fatty acids) which may also help reduce cancer risk.

TAKES VITAMIN D AND K2: There’s no evidence directly linking low levels of vitamin D (important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles) and K2 (for strong bones and heart health) to pancreatic cancer, but it’s thought vitamin D boosts immunity and K2 induces cancer cell death. I take daily supplements of both.

WATCHES HIS BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS: Tumours can prevent the pancreas from producing insulin, making blood sugar levels unstable. This is why a new diagnosis of diabetes, particularly in those over 50, may be a signal of pancreatic cancer. Around a third of my patients have gone on to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years after a diabetes diagnosis.

If you have a recent diabetes diagnosis and are concerned by thirst, fatigue, slow healing and unexplained weight loss, ask your GP for an ultrasound and don’t be fobbed off with instructions to come back in three months. It’s vital to catch pancreatic cancer early.

BREAST CANCER

Dr Rebekah Law is a breast cancer surgeon at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, in London

CYCLES TO WORK: I build the 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise recommended by the NHS into my week by cycling to work every day and using the stairs. This helps me to maintain a healthy weight. Research shows this reduces the risk of many cancers – including breast cancer – by reducing inflammation, which helps stop abnormal cell growth.

Excess body fat may also interfere with hormones such as insulin and oestrogen, which can affect cancer risk and even fuel its growth. Oestrogen drives breast tissue development, increasing breast-cell activity and potentially raising the chance of random genetic errors leading to tumours. And an enzyme in fat tissue called aromatase makes oestrogen.

Excess weight becomes even more important post-menopause, when fat becomes the main source of oestrogen: nearly 78 per cent of breast cancers are diagnosed in post-menopausal women.

BREASTFED HER CHILDREN: Having children and breastfeeding is linked to a lower breast cancer risk – it’s thought to be partly associated with having fewer menstrual cycles and therefore a lower lifetime exposure to oestrogen. I was grateful to have been able to breastfeed my two children for more than a year.

BARELY DRINKS: As 8 per cent of breast cancer cases are attributable to alcohol, I now only drink a half glass of wine every other week (I used to drink two a week). Alcohol contains ethanol which raises oestrogen levels and increases breast density, linked with a higher risk of breast cancer. There’s no safe amount, according to Cancer Research UK.

CHECKS BREASTS EVERY MONTH: Breasts become more or less lumpy throughout the menstrual cycle so I check mine at the same time every month.

I look in the mirror, put my hands on my hips and squeeze my waist (which helps flex chest muscles) looking for pulling, dimpling or bulging on my breasts. Next, I raise my hands in the air, looking for unusual pulling. I also examine for changes to my nipples or any lumps.

I found a lump a few years ago and went to a breast clinic to have it checked. Thankfully, it was non-cancerous.

PROSTATE CANCER

Professor Roger Kirby, 75, is a retired prostate surgeon and co-founder of Prostate Cancer UK

PLAYS TENNIS FIVE TIMES A WEEK: As someone who has a history of cancer (I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012 aged 62 and underwent surgery to remove my prostate), I take prevention seriously. I try to take at least 10,000 steps a day, regularly cycle and play tennis five times a week.

This level of daily walking is associated with a lower risk of up to 13 types of cancer, including kidney, liver and bladder because it reduces inflammation, improves insulin regulation and helps balance hormones. A University of Oxford study last year found 9,000 steps a day was linked to a 16 per cent lower risk of cancer.

I’m also careful about my weight, too. Being overweight puts you at higher risk of developing advanced or aggressive forms of prostate cancer because excess body fat affects hormone production and promotes inflammation, which can damage DNA – the root cause of cancer – and accelerates tumour growth.

RECOMMENDS SEX TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK: A healthy sex life and regular ejaculation has been linked to preventing prostate cancer. One study, published in European Urology in 2016, found those who ejaculated at least 21 times a month had a 20 per cent lower risk of prostate cancer, compared with those who only ejaculated four to seven times monthly.

It’s thought that regularly emptying the prostatic glands and seminal vesicles – the glands attached to the prostate that contribute to semen production – helps flush out potentially carcinogenic substances, preventing abnormal cell proliferation within the prostate.

Advice varies but I personally think two or three times per week seems sensible.

HAS FOUR COFFEES A DAY: I drink at least four cups of coffee before lunch using organic coffee beans. Trials show that two to four cups of coffee a day is linked to a lower risk of several cancers, possibly due to coffee being high in beneficial antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

AVOIDS FLAME-GRILLED BURGERS: I’ve recently cut back substantially on meat, especially processed meat such as bacon and burgers, which contain potentially carcinogenic chemical preservatives (nitrates and nitrites). I now only eat red meat once a week – only lamb, pork or beef – and avoid flame-grilling, as cooking meat at high temperatures causes the compounds they contain (amino acids and sugars) to react, forming heterocyclic amines, compounds linked to DNA mutations that may increase your risk of various cancers, including prostate.

HAS A PSA TEST EVERY TWO YEARS: I believe men over 50 should have a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test every couple of years – a rise in PSA can indicate prostate cancer: this alerted me to my tumour and saved my life.

I’d measured my PSA for a decade: at 50 it was 0.5 (negligible), but then had gradually risen over the years. Aged 62 it was 4.3, the highest ever, so I had an MRI scan and a biopsy – which revealed cancer.

BOWEL CANCER

Dr Andrew Gaya is a consultant clinical oncologist specialising in gastrointestinal cancers at The London Clinic and Cromwell Hospital in London

HAS A SCALP MASSAGE: There’s evidence linking consistently poor sleep with many types of cancer, including bowel, most likely driven by disruptions to the body clock and in turn immunity, inflammation and cell repair processes.

I make an effort to prioritise sleep by going to bed and waking up at the same time, approximately 11pm to 7am, to establish a healthy sleep pattern, not looking at my phone for 30 minutes before bed (blue light from screens suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin).

I also do relaxation exercises – and my partner sometimes gives me scalp massages if I have trouble switching off.

TAKES PROBIOTICS: I look after my gut health by taking a probiotic – a liquid culture every day, usually Symprove – as well as eating foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi that are rich in probiotics.

A healthy microbiome (the community of microbes in the gut) lowers inflammation and helps prime the immune system against disease – including bowel cancer.

EATS PLENTY OF FIBRE: Chronic constipation can be a risk factor in bowel cancer – it is thought that the longer food sits in the gut, the more likely it is to be exposed to harmful chemicals that could damage the cells and their DNA.

Fibre helps keep you regular – once a day is ideal – and good sources include garlic, onions, leeks, carrots, oats, beans and nuts. I eat as much fibre as possible: I try to aim for 30g fibre a day (an apple with skin on is 4.4g). I also sprinkle a supplement of nuts, seeds and herbs over food to boost gut microbiome diversity.

AVOIDS WHITE BREAD: There’s increasing evidence that the chemical additives and preservatives in ultra-processed food (UPF) are a contributing factor to bowel cancer – although we don’t yet know exactly how.

One study published in JAMA Oncology last year found women under 50 who ate a high UPF diet had a 45 per cent greater risk of having abnormal growths in their bowel that can lead to cancer.

Additionally, UPFs contain very little fibre and have few nutrients. I’ve swapped white bread and pasta for brown bread, brown rice and wholegrain pasta and avoid ready meals.

TAKES LOW-DOSE (75mg) ASPIRIN DAILY: There’s robust evidence linking aspirin with a lower risk of some cancers, including bowel cancer. Aspirin suppresses an enzyme (Cox-2) that may lead to uncontrolled cell growth and cancer development. However, aspirin isn’t advisable for everyone and may cause internal bleeding so check with your GP first.

MICROWAVES IN GLASS DISHES: Heating food in plastic containers causes microplastic to leach into your meal – there’s increasing evidence that it could be linked to elevated bowel cancer risk. I reheat my food on a plate or in a glass dish.

SKIN CANCER

Dr Justine Hextall is a consultant dermatologist at Tarrant Street Clinic in Sussex

APPLIES TWO LAYERS OF SUNSCREEN: I use SPF 50 all year round and focus on my hands, ears, face and neck – areas I see a lot of skin cancer in my patients – and apply two layers; I’m less likely to miss a patch that way.

I do this ten minutes before going outside to allow time for it to dry into a protective film (and reapply every two hours in summer, particularly if swimming).

USES A DAILY ANTIOXIDANT SERUM: Antioxidants help to neutralise unstable molecules called free radicals, which are produced naturally by the body but also by UV and pollution exposure and can cause cell damage and premature signs of ageing such as wrinkles. They may also have cancer-protective properties – so I apply one every day on my face, before sunscreen.

WEARS UV PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Suddenly exposing skin that’s normally covered up – such as your back or abdomen – to the hot sun increases the risk of melanoma more than skin that’s normally exposed.

I wear a top with ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) rating of 50 – meaning it blocks 98 per cent of UV rays – when swimming and a wide-brimmed hat all the time in the sun. Solbari is a good brand – hats start around £45.

APPLIES SPF BEFORE MANICURES: If going for a manicure – when my hands will be under a UV light to help dry the polish – I apply SPF50 beforehand, as exposure can build up over time (particularly if you go regularly).

SITS OUTSIDE FOR TEN MINUTES AT MIDDAY: A bit of direct sunlight on skin helps the body produce vitamin D, essential for cell repair and immune function – lower levels are associated with poorer outcomes in melanoma.

But ten minutes is the longest I’d sit outside without protection at midday, when the risk of burning is highest. You should also check the UV index; if it’s above 3, you need protection even on a cloudy day.