Healthy lifestyle interventions in general practice: Part 5: Lifestyle and cancer

Abstract

This article forms the fifth part of the series on the role of lifestyle modification in general practice with specific reference to cancer. It is recognised that cancer is not a single disease entity but rather a collection of diseases with the common feature of excessive uncontrolled cellular proliferation with the potential of cellular spread to distant anatomical sites. Whilst an in-depth discussion of the various types of cancer and the interaction with various lifestyle related factors is beyond the scope of this article, the concept of cancer in general will be discussed and where relevant, comment will be addressed to individual forms of cancer. The major risk factors which constitute an unhealthy lifestyle have been discussed in Part 1of this series, thus the focus of Part 5 will be to give specific practical guidelines which the general practitioner may incorporate into their practice when counselling patients with cancer.