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"Most types of cancer can be put down to bad luck rather than risk factors such as smoking," BBC News reports. A US study estimates around two-thirds of cancer cases are caused by random genetic mutations.
The researchers who carried out the study wanted to see why cancer risk varies so much between different body tissues.
For example, the average lifetime risk of lung cancer is around 1 in 14, whereas brain cancer risk is significantly lower at around 1 in 166.
The study estimates around two-thirds (65%) of cancer risk is a result of chance, based on the number of times stem cells divide in the different tissues.
However, this figure could be anywhere between 39% and 81%. This is quite a large margin of error, reducing the accuracy and reliability of the 65% estimate.
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/01January/Pages/Are-most-cancers-down-to-bad-luck.aspx
The researchers who carried out the study wanted to see why cancer risk varies so much between different body tissues.
For example, the average lifetime risk of lung cancer is around 1 in 14, whereas brain cancer risk is significantly lower at around 1 in 166.
The study estimates around two-thirds (65%) of cancer risk is a result of chance, based on the number of times stem cells divide in the different tissues.
However, this figure could be anywhere between 39% and 81%. This is quite a large margin of error, reducing the accuracy and reliability of the 65% estimate.
http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/01January/Pages/Are-most-cancers-down-to-bad-luck.aspx