Certain cancers primarily result from ‘bad luck’

“This study shows that you can add to your risk of getting cancers by smoking or other poor lifestyle factors. However, many forms of cancer are due largely to the bad luck of acquiring a mutation in a cancer driver gene regardless of lifestyle and heredity factors. The best way to eradicate these cancers will be through early detection, when they are still curable by surgery.”

The researchers noted that some cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer, were not included in the report because the team was unable to find reliable stem cell division rates in the scientific literature.

They hope other scientists will help refine their statistical model by finding more precise stem cell division rates.