Where does cancer come from? We must talk about preventable risk | Ranjana Srivastava

Most people know about the link between smoking and cancer but few are aware of the other major and controllable lifestyle factors

Although my patient constantly and laughingly referred to himself as a "vegetable", I never got used to it. I cringed at the expression, often wondering how he really felt beneath the smiles. Short in height and morbidly obese, he hated moving and told everyone how much he loved fat and sugar, preferably together. The first time I met him he struggled to walk the few metres to my room before crashing into a chair and clutching its sides as he regained his breath. He was only 57 years old.

Related: As cancer progresses some patients weep, some get angry and others are bewildered | Ranjana Srivastava