Adherence to the 2018 WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations and risk of lifestyle-related cancers in the UK Biobank prospective cohort

In 2018, the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) published their Cancer Prevention Recommendations. Analysis in the UK Biobank prospective cohort investigated the association of adherence to these recommendations and the risk of all cancers combined and of 14 cancers for which there is strong evidence for links with aspects of lifestyle. At inclusion in the cohort, the participants (n=94,778; 53% female; mean age 56 years) gave information on their lifestyle. Based on this information, a total adherence score (range 0-7 points) was derived for all participants. The mean total score was 3.8 (SD 1.0) points. During a median follow-up of 8 years, 7296 participants (7.7%) developed cancer. Total score was inversely associated with risk of all cancers combined (per 1-point increment HR 0.93; 95% CI 0.90-0.95) as well as breast, colorectal, kidney, esophageal, ovarian, liver, and gallbladder cancers. The authors conclude that greater adherence to the 2018 WCRF/AICR Cancer Prevention Recommendations was associated with significantly reduced risk of all cancers combined and of 7 lifestyle-related cancers in the UK.