Towards a Multifactorial Model of Cancer Risk: Findings from a Pilot Survey of 134 Cancer Patients

Abstract

Background: Cancer is increasingly recognised as a multifactorial disease influenced by the interaction of genetic, environmental, behavioural, and biological factors. While considerable progress has been made in identifying individual risk factors, understanding how these factors coexist and interact within affected individuals remains a major challenge for cancer epidemiology and prevention. Objective: To examine the prevalence and interrelationships of multiple cancer-related risk factors among individuals with medically diagnosed cancer and to explore their relevance to contemporary multifactorial models of cancer risk. Method: This pilot survey study analysed responses from 134 individuals reporting a medically diagnosed cancer. Information was collected on age at diagnosis, cancer type, family history of cancer, tobacco and alcohol use, dietary habits, physical activity, occupational and environmental exposures, and chronic infections or inflammatory conditions associated with increased cancer risk. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analyses, multivariable logistic regression, ordinal logistic regression, and exploratory factor analysis were conducted. Results: The cohort demonstrated a substantial cumulative burden of risk factors. 75% of respondent reported an immediate family history of cancer. 84.2% reported tobacco exposure. 85.1% reported at least one occupational or environmental exposure. And 68.3% reported chronic infections or inflammatory conditions associated with increased cancer risk. More than 70% of the respondents were classified within the high risk burden category. Significant associations were identified between family history and breast cancer status, environmental exposure and lung cancer, radiation exposure and leukaemia lymphoma, and cumulative risk burden,  and early age of diagnosis. Exploratory clock factor analysis identified distinct clusters of inherited occupational, and lifestyle related risk factors supporting a multifactorial interpretation of cancer risk.