Our research into lifestyle and diet
More than one in three people will develop cancer during their lifetime. But getting cancer isn’t just a case of fate or bad luck. Scientists have estimated that more than four in 10 cancer cases could be prevented by changes to lifestyle.
By not smoking, maintaining a healthy bodyweight, keeping active, drinking less alcohol and eating a healthy balanced diet, people can reduce their risk of several different cancers. You can find out more about these topics on our Healthy Living pages.
Cancer Research UK-funded scientists are studying various aspects of people’s lifestyle ranging from diet to childbearing patterns to find out how these relate to cancer development. This information could lead to new cancer prevention strategies. And it will ultimately allow people to make informed lifestyle choices to reduce their risk of cancer.
Below are some of the highlights of our research into lifestyle and diet.
On this page
Bowel cancer
Prof Chris Paraskeva
Colorectal Tumour Biology Research Group
University of Bristol, Bristol
Preventing and treating bowel cancer
Professor Chris Paraskeva is an international expert in bowel cancer. He leads the Cancer Research UK Colorectal Tumour Biology Research Group at the University of Bristol. His team is looking into many different aspects of bowel cancer including new ways to both prevent and treat the disease.
No specific cancer type
Professor Tim Key
Cancer Epidemiology Unit
University of Oxford, Oxford
How does your diet affect your cancer risk?
Professor Tim Key is untangling the many lifestyle factors that affect a person’s risk of cancer, focusing mainly on diet and hormones. He is one of the leading UK researchers on the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC), the largest study of diet and health ever undertaken. Professor Key is based at the Cancer Epidemiology Unit in Oxford, and his work is highlighting possible ways to prevent cancer and identify those who are most at risk.
Prof Kay-Tee Khaw
Clinical Gerontology Unit
University of Cambridge, Cambridge
Diet, lifestyle and cancer - the EPIC study
Professor Kay-Tee Khaw is a leading expert in the field of health and disease. She is studying the links between lifestyle and the development of chronic diseases such as cancer. She is currently one of the principal UK scientists working on the EPIC study, a European-wide project investigating the links between diet, lifestyle and cancer.
Prof Jane Wardle
Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Centre
University College London, London
Health behaviour and cancer risk
Professor Jane Wardle directs the Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Centre at University College London and is a prominent researcher in the field of cancer prevention.
Prof Roland Wolf
Cancer Research UK Molecular Pharmacology Laboratory
University of Dundee, Dundee
How do our genes affect sensitivity to drugs and the environment?
Professor Roland Wolf directs the Biomedical Research Centre at the University of Dundee. His research focuses on families of proteins that protect our cells from carcinogens in the environment and the effects of radiation and chemotherapy.
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