14 Feb Interview Pr. Jacques Robert – Cancer: warning of a “tsunami” of false information

Faced with a growing number of cancer risk warnings, Prof. Jacques Robert, ex-president of the French Cancer Society (SFC), professor emeritus in the 02 team – Reprogramming of tumor activity and the associated microenvironment (Rytme), OncoGyne group and honorary hospital practitioner at the Bergonié Institute, reminds us of the real dangers and denounces growing “disinformation” in this interview with Le Point newspaper.

“Risk factors have long been identified: around 40% of cancers have a known etiology. It is important to point out that we cannot attribute an individual cancer to a precise cause, but we can statistically quantify the risk factors in a defined population. In France, the breakdown is as follows: tobacco is considered responsible for 20% of cancers, 8% are due to alcohol, 6% to diet and 6% to other causes. As far as diet is concerned, the main risk factors are major imbalances: excess red meat, “ultra-processed” products, lack of fiber and fruit and vegetables. Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle also play a role.

“Other causes” include occupational exposure (asbestos, solvent and glue industries), pesticides, air pollution (fine particles) and as yet unknown causes. At least half of all cancers are not due to identifiable causes, but to the “bad luck” of an error in DNA replication in a stem cell. “