Researchers at Johns Hopkins University studied 31 different cancers. Of those, just 9 were found to be linked to bad genetics or unhealthy lifestyle choices. However, researchers excluded two of the most common cancers from their study, breast cancer and prostate cancer (published in the journal Science).

The most common cause of the production of most cancerous cells occurs when one chemical letter in DNA is incorrectly swapped for another during stem cell division. Scientists found that cancer rates were higher in parts of the body where cells are quickest to regenerate, thereby creating more random mutations.

Genetic mutations that randomly crop up as our stem cells divide are “the major contributors to cancer overall, often more important than either hereditary or external environmental factors.”



BBC: New research suggests most types of cancer are the result of bad luck, rather than unhealthy lifestyles, diet or even inherited genes.

References:

Study concludes that many cancers caused by bad luck in cell division | Fox News http://buff.ly/1xebIsy
Besides Lifestyle and Inherited Genes, Cancer Risk Also Tied to Bad Luck - WSJ http://buff.ly/1xebVMw