Cancer is the body's own plan ('a self plan'): body cells are ordered to transform because this was necessary for the person's life; it is not caused by external agents.
Original statement
هذه الخلايا الجسديه صدر لها امر بالتحول [موسيقى] بالتحول هذا امر التحول كان ضروري لحياه حضرتك
verbatim according to source. Translation by the project; the Arabic wording is authoritative.
Translation
Cancer is the body's own plan ('a self plan'): body cells are ordered to transform because this was necessary for the person's life; it is not caused by external agents.
Origin
- Source status
- Video transcript (own words)
- Attribution
- Elawady (machine transcript)
- Video
- السرطان ١ (Open source)
- Published
- 26 January 2025
- Timestamp
- 0:23:23 (location in the original video’s automatic YouTube caption track; confirms where the words occur, not who speaks)
- Attribution uncertainty
- Archive transcript (YouTube CC or AI-generated); no timestamps; spelling errors of the machine transcript are kept verbatim; wording may deviate from the spoken words.
- Claimed mechanism
Body-ordered transformation
- Claimed health effect
Cancer as protective
- Population concerned
General
- Geographic restriction by Elawady
none found
Diverging source versions
قلت السرطان خطه ذاتيه
- Source status
- Video transcript (own words)
- Attribution
- Elawady (machine transcript)
- Video
- Dr Diaa Al Awady د ضياء العوضي is live!صباح الخير اتباع العوضي (Open source)
- Published
- 19 September 2025
- Timestamp
- 0:29:32 (location in the original video’s automatic YouTube caption track; confirms where the words occur, not who speaks)
ما بتموتش اطلع السرطان دلوقتي يحميك برده
- Source status
- Video transcript (own words)
- Attribution
- Elawady (machine transcript)
- Video
- حاله من وعي وحصار الأصحاء لجهل الاطباء (Open source)
- Published
- 25 March 2026
- Timestamp
- 0:26:11 (location in the original video’s automatic YouTube caption track; confirms where the words occur, not who speaks)
المشمش انا بقي ساعه بشرح بقى وجهه نظري عن السرطان وانه مش مرض وانه خطه ديفنس ميكانزم ازيك ابو النصر في النمسه ازيك عامل
Cancer is not a disease but a defence mechanism (a defensive plan) of the body.
- Source status
- Video transcript (own words)
- Attribution
- Elawady (machine transcript)
- Video
- Dr.D Clinics - Diaa Al Awady is live! رمضان كريم (Open source)
- Published
- 5 March 2025
- Timestamp
- 0:55:26 (location in the original video’s automatic YouTube caption track; confirms where the words occur, not who speaks)
- Attribution uncertainty
- Archive transcript (YouTube CC or AI-generated); no timestamps; 'published' is the date listed by the archive and may be the upload date. Live-stream transcripts can contain viewer comments read aloud; the quoted passage was checked in context to be spoken by Elawady.
Scientific assessment
Mostly false – Essential parts of the statement are not supported by the evidence or are strongly exaggerated.
Certainty of evidence: moderate – Further research may still affect the assessment.
1. What was claimed?
Cancer is a purposeful, protective transformation ordered by the body.
2. What is demonstrably correct?
Cancer cells derive from the body's own cells and use normal cellular programmes (growth, migration, hormone production), and tumours partly evade immune control - points Elawady describes.
3. What is wrong or exaggerated?
There is no evidence that tumours are 'ordered' for the person's benefit. About 40-44% of cancer cases/deaths are attributable to external modifiable factors, led by smoking (I-CAN-02, I-CAN-03); 2.2 million cancers per year are caused by infections (I-CAN-05). Nordic twin data show a heritable component of about 33%, with most of the remaining variation due to non-shared (individual) environment and chance; the authors stress that heritability is not a population-attributable fraction and does not reduce the role of lifestyle and environment (I-CAN-04). Neither finding supports a purely internal cause. When immune tolerance is lifted, the immune system can control metastatic cancer (I-CHM-08).
4. What remains unclear?
The teleological claim that the body 'orders' cancer for a purpose cannot be tested scientifically. The relative weight of chance, external and inherited factors differs between cancer types.
5. Which studies support it?
None for the claim that cancer is purposeful. The kernel that cancer arises from the body's own cells is textbook biology (not separately sourced).
6. Which studies contradict it?
I-CAN-01, I-CAN-02, I-CAN-03, I-CAN-04, I-CAN-05, I-CHM-08.
7. What applies to Germany and Europe?
Not region-specific; the heritability data come from Nordic twin cohorts (I-CAN-04) and the attributable fractions from US and global analyses (I-CAN-02, I-CAN-03).
8. What is known about Egypt?
Hepatitis B/C-related liver cancer is an example of an infection-driven cancer relevant to Egypt (I-CAN-05, global data).
9. What practical conclusion is appropriate?
Prevention (no tobacco, vaccination, healthy weight) and treatment are evidence-based; viewing cancer as protective may lead to dangerous delays.
Assessment details
- Rationale for certainty of evidence
Not testable in its teleological form; contradicted by strong evidence on carcinogens, infections, heredity and immune control. Partial truth: cancer arises from the body's own cells and exploits normal programmes.
- Source quality
Machine transcripts.
- Regional transferability
High.
- Regional scope of the claim
- general (biological/medical)
- Last reviewed
- 25 October 2026 provisional
In plain language
Dr. Diaa described cancer as a plan of the body that is necessary for the person. Science shows that cancer starts in our own cells, but it is mostly caused by damage to the genes from smoking, infections, alcohol, radiation, inherited factors and chance. The immune system can attack cancer when helped by modern drugs. There is no evidence that a tumour protects the body.
Studies on this claim
Studies supporting the claim (0)
No studies in this group.
Studies contradicting or limiting the claim (6)
-
Smokers die about ten years earlier; quitting gives years back
Doll R et al.. BMJ 2004 · PMID 15213107 · DOI 10.1136/bmj.38142.554479.AECohort studyindependent cross-checkabstract only checked★ key studySmoking tripled death rates; stopping at 30 avoided almost all the excess risk.
External cause of cancer
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: high · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Measure smoking hazards over 50 years.
- How was the study done?
Prospective cohort.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
34,439 doctors.
- What was actually found?
Smokers die ~10 years earlier.
- How large was the observed effect?
3-fold mortality.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Stopping smoking at any age helps.
- What are the study's limitations?
Men only.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Contradicts smoking dismissal.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Effects of other tobacco products.
-
Four in ten cancers in the USA are linked to avoidable risk factors, led by smoking
Islami F et al.. CA Cancer J Clin 2024 · PMID 38990124 · DOI 10.3322/caac.21858Risk assessmentindependent cross-checkabstract only checked★ key studySmoking accounted for 19% of cancers and 29% of cancer deaths; excess weight and alcohol followed.
External causes
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Estimate preventable cancers.
- How was the study done?
PAF analysis.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
US 2019.
- What was actually found?
40% of cases attributable.
- How large was the observed effect?
Smoking 19.3%/28.5%.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Not smoking, healthy weight, less alcohol and a diet with fibre, fruit and vegetables lower risk.
- What are the study's limitations?
Model assumptions.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Diet matters but is not the main cause.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Moderate.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Individual cause.
-
Smoking, alcohol and excess weight lead global avoidable cancer deaths
GBD 2019 Cancer Risk Factors Collaborators. Lancet 2022 · PMID 35988567 · DOI 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01438-6Risk assessmentindependent cross-checkfull text checked44% of cancer deaths worldwide in 2019 were attributable to known risk factors, smoking first; diet accounted for about 5-6% of cancer burden.
Known external causes
Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Global attributable cancer burden.
- How was the study done?
GBD modelling.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
204 countries.
- What was actually found?
4.45 million cancer deaths (44.4%) attributable to modelled risks in 2019; tobacco 33.9% of male and 10.7% of female cancer DALYs; dietary risks 5.9% and 5.1%.
- How large was the observed effect?
4.45 million deaths.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Avoid tobacco and alcohol, keep healthy weight.
- What are the study's limitations?
Model-based estimates; sparse data in many countries; infections and UV not included.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Diet is one factor among several.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
That the remaining 56% of cancer deaths have no external cause (infections and UV were not modelled); individual risk for a given person.
-
About a third of cancer risk is inherited
Mucci LA et al.. JAMA 2016 · PMID 26746459 · DOI 10.1001/jama.2015.17703Cohort studyindependent cross-checkfull text checkedHeritability of cancer overall was 33% in 200,000 Nordic twins.
Heritable component
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: high · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Estimate heritability.
- How was the study done?
Twin cohort.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
203,691.
- What was actually found?
33% heritability.
- How large was the observed effect?
Melanoma 58%, prostate 57%.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Family history matters for screening.
- What are the study's limitations?
Nordic, mainly white population; twin models assume equal shared environments, which cannot be tested.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Not all cancer is lifestyle.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
That the remaining two-thirds of risk is due to food; heritability is not the share of cancers preventable by lifestyle (authors); specific genes.
-
Infections cause about 2.2 million cancers a year worldwide
de Martel C et al.. Lancet Glob Health 2020 · PMID 31862245 · DOI 10.1016/S2214-109X(19)30488-7Risk assessmentindependent cross-checkabstract only checkedH. pylori, HPV and hepatitis B/C viruses cause most infection-related cancers.
Infectious causes
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Estimate infection-related cancer.
- How was the study done?
PAF.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
Global.
- What was actually found?
2.2 million cases.
- How large was the observed effect?
ASIR 25/100,000.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Vaccination (HBV, HPV) and treatment of infections prevent cancer.
- What are the study's limitations?
Modelling.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Not all cancer is food-related.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Individual cause.
-
Immunotherapy lets half of patients with advanced melanoma live at least five years
Larkin J et al.. N Engl J Med 2019 · PMID 31562797 · DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa1910836Randomised controlled trialindependent cross-checkabstract only checked5-year survival 52% with combined immunotherapy vs 26% with the older drug.
Tumours are attacked when tolerance is lifted
Does the study support the specific claim? No · Methodological quality: high · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Report 5-year survival.
- How was the study done?
RCT.
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
Advanced melanoma.
- What was actually found?
52% 5-year OS.
- How large was the observed effect?
HR 0.52.
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
The immune system can fight cancer when helped.
- What are the study's limitations?
Industry funding.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Contradicts immune claim.
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Effect in other cancers.
No study in this group is marked as key.
Studies with mixed or unclear results (0)
No studies in this group.
Regional context
Germany / EU
Not region-specific; the heritability data come from Nordic twin cohorts (I-CAN-04) and the attributable fractions from US and global analyses (I-CAN-02, I-CAN-03).
Egypt
Hepatitis B/C-related liver cancer is an example of an infection-driven cancer relevant to Egypt (I-CAN-05, global data).
What applies in my country?
General scientific assessment
Mostly false Cancer is not a protective 'self plan'; it has well-established causes and can be attacked by the immune system.
This statement concerns biological or medical relationships. The scientific assessment above applies regardless of the country; country-specific food data do not change it.
References
- Mortality in relation to smoking: 50 years' observations on male British doctors.. Doll R et al.. BMJ 2004 · PMID 15213107 · DOI 10.1136/bmj.38142.554479.AE
- Proportion and number of cancer cases and deaths attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors in the United States, 2019.. Islami F et al.. CA Cancer J Clin 2024 · PMID 38990124 · DOI 10.3322/caac.21858
- The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.. GBD 2019 Cancer Risk Factors Collaborators. Lancet 2022 · PMID 35988567 · DOI 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01438-6
- Familial Risk and Heritability of Cancer Among Twins in Nordic Countries.. Mucci LA et al.. JAMA 2016 · PMID 26746459 · DOI 10.1001/jama.2015.17703
- Global burden of cancer attributable to infections in 2018: a worldwide incidence analysis.. de Martel C et al.. Lancet Glob Health 2020 · PMID 31862245 · DOI 10.1016/S2214-109X(19)30488-7
- Five-Year Survival with Combined Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Advanced Melanoma.. Larkin J et al.. N Engl J Med 2019 · PMID 31562797 · DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa1910836