Lifestyle vs. Genetics: Which Plays a Bigger Role in Cancer Risk?

For years, the debate between nature vs. nurture has shaped our understanding of disease risk. However, new research from Oxford Population Health suggests that lifestyle choices and socioeconomic factors have a significantly greater impact on premature death than genetics.

When it comes to cancer, this study reinforces what many experts have suspected—while genes play a role in certain cancers, modifiable risk factors like smoking, poverty, and poor living conditions are far more influential in determining health outcomes.

How Smoking and Socioeconomic Factors Increase Cancer Risk

1. Smoking: The Leading Preventable Cause of Cancer

Smoking remains one of the most significant risk factors for cancer. The study found that smoking is linked to 21 different diseases, including lung cancer, throat cancer, and bladder cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, smoking causes around 70% of lung cancer cases and contributes to cancers of the mouth, liver, and pancreas.

Even passive smoking can increase cancer risk. Exposure to second-hand smoke at home or work raises the likelihood of developing respiratory-related cancers.

2. Socioeconomic Status: A Hidden Cancer Risk

The study revealed that socioeconomic factors, such as:
• Household income
• Employment status
• Home ownership
• Education levels

…are directly associated with 19 major diseases, including various forms of cancer.

Individuals from low-income backgrounds are often more exposed to cancer-causing factors due to:
• Higher smoking rates – Tobacco use is often higher in deprived areas due to stress and lack of access to healthcare support.
• Poor diet and obesity – Processed foods, high in sugar and unhealthy fats, contribute to cancers such as bowel cancer and breast cancer.
• Limited access to healthcare – Delayed cancer screenings and late diagnosis result in poorer survival rates.

3. Early Life Exposure and Cancer Risk

The study found that early-life experiences—such as a mother smoking during pregnancy or childhood obesity—can have long-term health consequences. These factors accelerate ageing and increase the likelihood of developing chronic diseases, including cancer, later in life.

For example, being overweight as a child increases the risk of endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, and oesophageal cancer in adulthood.

Why Prevention and Early Diagnosis Matter

While genetics account for only 2% of premature deaths, lifestyle and environmental factors account for 17%—proving that cancer risk is largely preventable.

This highlights the urgent need for early cancer diagnosis. Too often, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds receive a delayed cancer diagnosis, reducing their chances of survival.

Seeking Justice for a Delayed Cancer Diagnosis?

If you or a loved one has experienced a delay in cancer diagnosis, it could mean the difference between life-saving treatment and a devastating outcome. At Hutcheon Law, our expert solicitors specialise in cancer misdiagnosis claims, ensuring that those affected receive the justice and compensation they deserve. It matters now about your life style or genetics, from a legal point of view it is how you have been treated (or not as the case may be) with regard to your attendance upon your GP or consultant. If they have failed to spot your cancer symptoms taking into account your whole history, you may have a claim for compensation should the delay prejudice your outcome.

For expert legal support, visit Hutcheon Law today.