DEAR DR. ROACH: Is there any truth to the rumor that if you fry with olive oil it is cancer-causing? — H.B.
ANSWER: No.
Not all cancers can be prevented. Some are due to combinations of genes and bad luck, or environmental factors such as air pollution. However, there are activities that can raise or lower cancer risk compared with a general population. Smoking is probably the biggest one. Alcohol also increases risk of many cancers, as does obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
