'Battle against cancer must focus on lifestyle factors causing disease'

If we can collect info from millions of patients over the next two years and train AI to predict cancer risk levels, we could better direct screening and prevention efforts

Being diagnosed with cancer is no longer a death sentence, but the battle is far from won and focus now must also be on understanding deeper lifestyle factors such as stress and lifestyle diseases, according to one of the world's leading doctors.

Dr Ash K Tewari, chairman of urology at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine and a pioneering surgeon-scientist who has led breakthroughs in prostate cancer treatment, emphasised that while significant victories have been achieved in cancer treatment over the past 15 years, the focus must shift from mere survival to improving patients' quality of life throughout their cancer journey.

"Currently, about 46 million people globally - equivalent to Spain's population - are either fighting cancer or have beaten it," Tewari said at the 22nd Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in a conversation with Sanchita Sharma, senior communications officer at WHO India.

This massive number underscores both the progress made and challenges ahead, as approximately 18 million new cancer cases emerge annually, with about 9 million deaths.

While certain risk factors like smoking are well-documented, Tewari highlighted the critical role of often-overlooked contributors to cancer development. "A diabetic body is somewhat inflamed, and inflammation can be a friend to cancer," he explained as an example, before adding that metabolic syndrome, diet, exercise habits, and obesity all play crucial roles in cancer development and progression.