Everyday foods that may be fueling cancer risk, experts warn

Cancer often progresses without obvious warning signs, and by the time symptoms appear, the disease has frequently already advanced. As the leading cause of death in South Korea, cancer carries a 36.9 percent lifetime risk for those who live to the national life expectancy of 83.5 years — making it all the more important not to overlook the body's subtle distress signals.

Experts point to unexplained weight loss and severe fatigue as the most common warning signs shared across cancer types. Choi Seok-jae, a professor in the emergency medicine department at Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, said weight loss and extreme fatigue are relatively consistent signals seen in cancer patients. "Depending on the type, stomach and colorectal cancers may cause black or bloody stools, while pancreatic cancer can be accompanied by jaundice or indigestion," he said.

Fatigue in particular is a symptom many people dismiss. Most attribute it to work, study or stress and leave it unaddressed, but prolonged fatigue can be a warning that something is wrong in the body. "Persistent fatigue may indicate that a problem has developed inside the body," Choi said. "Rather than writing it off as simple overwork, it is worth finding out the cause."

Abnormal readings in routine health checkups also deserve close attention. Elevated blood triglyceride or cholesterol levels can signal emerging problems with metabolic health. "You need to acknowledge that something has gone wrong in your current metabolic environment and improve your diet," Choi said. Rising fat levels can trigger the buildup of fat inside blood vessels, leading to arteriosclerosis, and over the long term they raise the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.

Lifestyle management is the single most important factor in cancer prevention. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an arm of WHO, estimates that smoking accounts for roughly 30 percent of cancer deaths and dietary factors for another 30 percent, with alcohol contributing about 5 percent. "The first steps anyone should take to prevent cancer are quitting smoking and drinking," Choi said.

Diet matters just as much. Cutting back on ultra-processed foods as much as possible is strongly advised. "Ultra-processed foods should be completely removed from the table," Choi said. "They damage the gut ecosystem and raise blood sugar levels, making them a major pathway to cancer and metabolic disease." When eating red meat, boiling or steaming is generally preferable to charring or grilling.

Ultra-processed foods, or UPFs, are industrially manufactured products that alter the form of raw ingredients and contain large amounts of artificial additives to extend shelf life or enhance flavor. Common examples include snacks, carbonated drinks, instant cup noodles, processed meats such as sausages and bacon, and fast food.

According to the National Cancer Center, roughly 280,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed in South Korea each year. As the population continues aging, that number is expected to grow. Experts say that rather than looking for special remedies, consistently managing everyday risk factors — smoking, drinking and diet — is what cancer prevention ultimately comes down to.

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