To state that cancer is only related to excessive sugar consumption when the sugar consumption leads to obesity seems misleading and potentially harmful for some patients. (Let alone that the average American adult consumes over one hundred and fifty pounds of sugar annually, which leads to poor metabolic health for the majority of our population.)

Please see the following article:

"The role of dietary sugars in cancer risk: A comprehensive review of current evidence"

by - Nazmul Hasan, Omid Yazdanpanah,
Barbod Khaleghi,
David J. Benjamin,
Arash Rezazadeh Kalebasty

Highlights
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Glucose, fructose, and sucrose have distinct roles in cancer development.
•
Sugar intake may elevate cancer risk through insulin resistance and inflammation.
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Hyperglycemia-driven carcinogenesis involves VEGF-driven angiogenesis and immune alterations.
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Research on sugar metabolism offers potential therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.

Sugar is inflammatory:

Excessive sugar intake can trigger inflammation because it leads to a surge in blood sugar, potentially overwhelming the body's ability to process it effectively, and can also disrupt the gut microbiome, promoting the release of inflammatory molecules.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Blood Sugar Spikes and Insulin Resistance:
Consuming a high amount of sugar, especially refined sugars, causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, which can lead to insulin resistance. This means the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, further exacerbating inflammation.
Inflammatory Cytokine Release:
When the body struggles to process excess sugar, it can trigger the release of inflammatory molecules called cytokines. These cytokines are messengers that signal the immune system to activate and fight off perceived threats, leading to inflammation.
Gut Microbiome Imbalance:
A high sugar diet can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, leading to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria and a decrease in beneficial ones. This imbalance can contribute to increased gut permeability, allowing more inflammatory substances to enter the bloodstream, further fueling inflammation.
Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs):
When sugar combines with proteins or fats in the body, it can form harmful compounds called AGEs. AGEs are linked to oxidative stress and inflammation, contributing to chronic health problems.

Chronic Inflammation can lead to cancer:
Chronic inflammation can damage DNA and lead to cancer. It's considered a hallmark of cancer, and up to 20% of cancer-related deaths are linked to inflammation.
How chronic inflammation leads to cancer
DNA damage
Chronic inflammation can damage DNA, which can affect how cells grow and divide.
Tumor microenvironment
Chronic inflammation can create an inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME) that promotes tumor growth.
Transcription factors
Chronic inflammation can activate transcription factors like NF-κB, STAT-3, and HIF-1, which can lead to tumorigenic factors.
IL-6 signaling
IL-6 signaling can promote chronic inflammation and cancer development.
Examples of chronic inflammation and cancer
People with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease have an increased risk of colon cancer.

Please read this abstract:

Understanding the Link between Sugar and Cancer: An Examination of the Preclinical and Clinical Evidence

I'm certain that there are many causes of cancer in our modern world, but to assure patients that high sugar consumption has nothing to do with cancer risk (unless they're obese) seems risky and possibly misguided.

Bruce W Taylor
R.Ph., MHA