Dr Carl Albrecht - The Cancer Association of South Africa

Ninety percent of cancers are
caused by environmental factors of
which most are chemicals
Dr Carl Albrecht
Head of Research
Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA)
PSSA, UWC Campus, 29‐31 August, 2011

Basic Cancer Facts
• This year, more than 1 million Americans and
more than 10 million people worldwide are
expected to be diagnosed with cancer.
• Cancer kills more people worldwide than
AIDS, malaria and TB combined.
• Only about 10% of all cancer cases can be
attributed to genetic defects, whereas the
remaining 90% have their roots in the
environment and lifestyle.

There are two wars against
cancer
We have chosen to focus on prevention

We believe that prevention
is the cure for cancer
• This is good news because if the environmental
factors and lifestyles causing cancer can be
controlled, cancer will disappear.
• Vision –looking ahead:
• All carcinogens will be known by 2020.
• All carcinogens will be controlled by 2100.
• By the end of the current century cancer should be
relegated to a minor health problem.

Implications of a global
control of carcinogens
• 1. No more cancer
• 2. Less chronic diseases
• 3. Greater integrity of genome
• 4. Healthier planet

Cancers are caused by carcinogens
Epicarcinogenesis
Carcinogens attack DNA

Different kinds of carcinogens
• 1. Chemicals –60%
• 2. Viruses
• 3. Bacteria
• 4. UV light
• 5. Gamma radiation
• 6. Cell phone EMR ?

What are the carcinogens?

Table 4: Proportions of cancer deaths attributed to
various different factors
Percent of all cancer
deaths
Factor Best
estimate
Range
1 Tobacco 30 25-40
2 Alcohol 3 2-4
3 Diet 35 10-70
4 Food additives

What role do chemicals play
in carcinogenesis?
• 1. Cigarette smoke
• 2. Ethanol
• 3. Natural carcinogens
• 4. Man‐made carcinogens
• 5. Infections (HBV, HPV, HIV)
• 6. UV light
• 7. Obesity
• 8. Genetic predisposition
30%
10%
10%
10%
60%
15%
5%
10%
10%
100%

Current Wisdom
• Most of cancers are due
to wrong life‐style
choices:
• Wrong diet
• Smoking
• Lack of exercise
• It is your fault
11

New Wisdom
• Most of cancers are due
to wrong life‐style
choices and exposure to
man‐made carcinogens:
• Wrong diet
• Smoking
• Lack of exercise
• Exposure to natural
and man‐made
carcinogens and co‐
carcinogens
• It is your fault
and it is also
industry’s fault
12

Controlling environmental
carcinogens

Hepatitis B and liver cancer

Hepatitis B virus
Legislation and carcinogens
• Vaccination of all babies against
hepatitis B virus thus preventing
hepatocellular carcinoma.

Smoking and lung cancer

Legislation against smoking
and tobacco.
Benzopyrene
Percentage smokers
Minus 27%

Trans fats and food

Legislation against trans fats
passed 17 August 2011

Omega-6 vs Omega-3 fatty acids

Chemical analysis of South
African margarines

RESULTS TRANS-FATS.
• All forty margarine products had trans‐fat
concentrations (grams/100 grams
margarine) of less than 2 percent.
•This is within the boundary set by the
Department of Health in the Government
Gazette of 30 March 2010 where it states
that the trans‐fat content should not exceed
2 grams per 100 grams of product foodstuff
as consumed.
•The results and the pending legislation is
good news and hopefully trans‐fats will
cease to be a problem in South Africa.

RESULTS: Ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids
• The omega‐6/omega‐3 ratio differs widely
(up to 20‐fold) when the different
margarines were compared. The lowest was
2.21 and the highest was 44.30.
•There is growing consensus that this ratio
should be low, in the order of 2 to 1 , to be
beneficial and to reduce the risk of cancer
by counteracting inflammation.
•Analysis of the data showed that there
were two margarine products with ratios of
2.21 and 2.31 (see red arrows).
•These two products were Blossom Canola
Margarine and Blossom Canola Light
Margarine.

Canola Oil

Not all fats are equal.

Ratio of n-6 and n-3 fatty
acids is significant
Omega-6/omega-3
= 3/1 or less
Omega-/omega-3
= 5/1 or more
HEALTH
ILLNESS
Too much n-6 could increase the risk
for cancer

Use of different oils over time
N-6/n-3= 6.8/1

Fortified maize meal

Legislation to fortify maize
meal
Vit A
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Nicotinamide
Pyridoxine
Folic acid
Iron
Zinc

Colon cancer in South
African females

BPA-Bisphenol A in baby bottles

PC
Example of preventing cancer
by removing source from the
market
BPA-Baby bottles banned
in Canada, Denmark,
France,EU, China,

Effect of a low dose of BPA on
breast tissue
Control milk duct in mouse breast
tissue
Mice treated with 25 ng BPA/kg body
weight per day
25 ng is 1000-times lower than the FDA safety
limit of 25 ug it is a trillionth of a kg.

BPA has been found in the unborn fetus
Is it involved in breast cancer?

Current Worldwide Breast
Cancer Incidence Rate

Animal fat = carcinogen trap

Carcinogens could be hiding in
animal fat like a Trojan Horse
• It is not so smart being at the top of the food chain.
• The general population is exposed to low levels of
polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and dibenzofurans primarily
through ingestion of high‐fat foods such as dairy products, eggs,
and animal fats, and some fish and wildlife. Dioxin‐like chemicals
are measurable in U.S. meats and poultry as a result of the
accumulation of these substances in the food chain.

Possible factors involved in breast
cancer
• 1. Animal fat
• 2. Animal fat + carcinogen
• 3. Bisphenol A
• 4. Omega‐6/omega‐3 ratio
• 5. Exposure in utero and early life
• 6. Estrogen metabolism

Aflatoxin

Legislation of mycotoxin
tolerances 1990
• AFLATOXIN
2001 –”Poison in Peanuts”
Eastern Cape
Peanut butter
4.8 million school children
165 ug per kg Aflatoxin B1
Quality control by DOH

Diethylhexyl adipate
Acrylamide

Putative carcinogens in food
DIETHYLHEXYL ADIPATE
ACRYLAMIDE

Uranium

Controlling uranium in
Potchefstroom drinking water
Values in January 2003 were

CANSA process for prevention
Step 1: Identify “in
your face”
carcinogen or
epicarcinogen
Step 3: Advocate for
government control
and/or endorsement.
Step 2:
Research

Summary
• Chemicals under legislative control:
• 1. Tobacco
• 2. Trans fats
• 3. Aflatoxin
• 4. Maize meal

Summary
• Pending legislative control:
• 5. Bisphenol
A –not in contact with food. Ban.
• 6. Uranium –not in drinking water
• 7. Acrylamide
• 8. Diethylhexyl
–
limits in crisps
adipate
• 9. Hexachlorobenzene
• 10. Polybrominated
• 11. Dioxin –
beef, dairy
–
–
no food contact
alternative for head lice
diphenyl
• 12. Pesticides –in the home
• 13. Formaldehyde –in cosmetics
ethers –in furniture

Endorsed products
• 1. Canola oil
• 2. Canola margarine
• 3. Rooibos
• 4. Weet
Bix
yoghurt
• 5. BPA‐free baby bottles
• 6. Sunscreens

• Prevention is the cure of cancer.
Intellectuals solve
problems; geniuses prevent
them.
Albert Einstein

Thank You