Fallacies of lifestyle cancer theories

Epstein, Samuel S.; Swartz, Joel B.

doi:10.1038/289127a0

Cited by 67 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…3 We undertook the present trial to determine whether by using the new parenteral cephalosporin cefotaxime, which has a greater…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of trends in cancer mortality in England and Wales during 1951-80 separating changes associated with period of birth and period of death.

Osmond¹,

Gardner²,

Acheson³

1982

BMJ

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Cancer mortality rates in England and Wales were analysed so to describe simultaneously changes affecting successive generations-that is, associated with period of birth-as weli as changes associated with the period in which the deaths took place. When mortality from all cancers was considered the analysis implied that, contrary to a widely held view, the rate of death from cancer had been declining in each sex in successive generations. For men the decline had occurred in generations born since 1900, whereas for women the peak came in the 1925 birth group. On the other hand, there had been little decline in the rates associated with period of death. Five examples of cancers of specific organs for which the trends contrasted are shown.

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“…3 We undertook the present trial to determine whether by using the new parenteral cephalosporin cefotaxime, which has a greater…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of trends in cancer mortality in England and Wales during 1951-80 separating changes associated with period of birth and period of death.

Osmond¹,

Gardner²,

Acheson³

1982

BMJ

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“…Many investigators criticized the Doll & Peto studies, indicating that they placed too much emphasis on lifestyle factors—for example, smoking and diet—with too little emphasis on involuntary exposures such as occupational and environmental carcinogens that clearly covary with the geography and level of development of countries (44). Extensive epidemiologic data documented the carcinogenic hazards of workplace exposures, including asbestos, benzene, arsenic, nickel, polycyclic hydrocarbons, and vinyl chloride (9).…”

Section: International/regional Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preventability of Cancer: The Relative Contributions of Biologic and Social and Physical Environmental Determinants of Cancer Mortality

Colditz¹,

Wei

2012

Annu. Rev. Public Health

111

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Whereas models of cancer disparities and variation in cancer burden within population groups now specify multiple levels of action from biologic processes to individual risk factors and social and physical contextual factors, approaches to estimating the preventable proportion of cancer use more traditional direct models often from single exposures to cancer at specific organ sites. These approaches are reviewed, and the strengths and limitations are presented. The need for additional multilevel data and approaches to estimation of preventability are identified. International or regional variation in cancer may offer the most integrated exposure assessment over the life course. For the four leading cancers, which account for 50% of incidence and mortality, biologic, social, and physical environments play differing roles in etiology and potential prevention. Better understanding of the interactions and contributions across these levels will help refine prevention strategies.

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“…Their conclusions, presented in Table 1, indicate that environmental pollution is responsible for a relatively small percentage of cancer deaths in the U.S., in the range of 1 to 5 percent. Because of the difficulty of isolating interactive causes, these estimates are controversial with other researchers reporting significantly higher percentages of cancer attributable to environmental contaminants (Barth and Hunt, 1980;Epstein, 1979). A recent comprehensive survey of epidemiological studies by Ames, Magaw, and Gold (1987) suggests that the threat of cancer from various environmental exposures to pollution is substantially less than exposures to many natural sources such as peanut butter (carcinogenic risk from aflatoxins), raw mushrooms (hydrazines), and wine (ethyl alcohol) (see also Crouch and Wilson, 1982, pp.…”

Section: The Toxic Tort Systemmentioning

confidence: 58%

The Limitations of Legal Institutions For Addressing Environmental Risks

Menell¹

1991

Journal of Economic Perspectives

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This article assesses the major systems of environmental liability in the United States—the toxic tort system and Superfund. The discussion of each of these areas first lays out the scientific background of the environmental problems and the applicable regulatory regime. It then analyzes the efficacy of these regimes for addressing environmental problems and suggests alternative institutional designs for better promoting the goals of equitable and cost-effective compensation of disease victims and efficient deterrence and remediation of environmental degradation.

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Fallacies of lifestyle cancer theories

Cited by 67 publications

References 19 publications

Analysis of trends in cancer mortality in England and Wales during 1951-80 separating changes associated with period of birth and period of death.

Analysis of trends in cancer mortality in England and Wales during 1951-80 separating changes associated with period of birth and period of death.

Preventability of Cancer: The Relative Contributions of Biologic and Social and Physical Environmental Determinants of Cancer Mortality

The Limitations of Legal Institutions For Addressing Environmental Risks

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