#301 Anticancer Diet, Lifestyle and Supplements with the UK’s First NHS Integrative Oncologist Professor Robert Thomas
11th Jun 2025
Up to 40% of cancers are attributable to modifiable risk factors, including diet, obesity, alcohol, tobacco use, and physical inactivity.
The WCRF estimates that around 1 in 3 cancer cases in high-income countries could be prevented through healthier diets, maintaining a healthy weight, and regular physical activity. And according to the National Cancer Institute in the US, physical inactivity is a recognised risk factor for colon, breast, and endometrial cancer.
But even with the best intentions, there’s a lot of confusion around lifestyle and cancer. One day it’s red meat, the next it’s microwaves. We hear about them in headlines, social media posts, or passed around in conversation – which can make it really hard to know what matters most.
I’m joined today by Professor Robert Thomas, an NHS oncologist and researcher who’s spent decades studying how lifestyle (from food and movement to gut health and supplements) affects cancer risk and recovery.
He was recently appointed Head of Integrative Oncology at The Royal London Hospital for Integrative Medicine, making him the UK’s first NHS Integrative Oncologist. This complements his existing role as an NHS Consultant Oncologist at Addenbrooke’s and Bedford Hospitals. He is also a Clinical Teacher at the University of Cambridge. At the start of our conversation, we talk about his new role and the types of patients he works with.
View the podcast on our YouTube Channel
Books: How to Live, Keeping Healthy with Cancer
You can find out more from Professor Thomas on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfThomasMD
We talk about:
- Anticancer diets – what to eat to reduce your risk
- Gut health & cancer – the powerful connection between your microbiome and cancer Inflammation & risk – how chronic inflammation increases cancer susceptibility
- Exercise & cancer – the science behind how movement helps fight cancer cells
- Microplastics & personal care products – the hidden risks in everyday items
- Aluminium in makeup & deodorants – investigating the potential health impacts
- Fertility impact – how lifestyle and environmental exposures may affect reproductive health
Episode guests
Professor Robert Thomas is a NHS Consultant Oncologist at Addenbrooke's and Bedford and Hospitals. He is also a Clinical Teacher at Cambridge University, the health journalist for National World News, a colomist for the DailyMail, a Professor of Sports and Nutritional science at the University of Bedfordshire and author of the bestselling book "How to Live"
He was recently appointed Head of Integrative Oncology at The Royal London Hospital for Integrative Medicine, where he advices self care, lifestyle, complementary and nutritional strategies which aim to help well being and improve outcomes.
At Cambridge and Bedford, he manages patients with chemotherapy, hormonal, radiotherapy and biological treatments. He also leads a Lifestyle and Cancer Research Unit which designs university approved scientific national studies that evaluate the impact of exercise, diet, gut health and natural therapies on cancer, long covid, other chronic diseases and exercise performance. He is currently chief investigator of the national covid vaccine nutritional intervention study and the UK YourPhyto study which was the World's first clinical evaluation to show that an intervention to improve gut health (Yourgutplus) combined with a phytochemical rich supplement (Yourphyto) slowed prostate cancer progression, improved urinary symptoms, reduced markers of inflammation and improved overall strength. His over 100 peer viewed scientific papers and presentations published from this research, can be accessed on cancernet.co.uk/rthomas.htm.
For this work, he has been awarded the Royal College of Radiologist and Oncologist research medal, an honorary Fellowship at the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, and "Oncologist of the Year" by The British Oncology Association.
