jscreationzs - FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How To Reduce Your Risk Of Cancer

Article
Bone, Muscle, & Joint
Digestive Health
+6
Contributed byKrish Tangella MD, MBAMay 23, 2017

There are many reasons individuals get cancer. These may include one’s genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices. There is no guaranteed way to prevent yourself from getting cancer, but there are certain steps you can take to lower your risk for many types of cancer. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, “one-third of the most common cancers in the US can be prevented by following certain recommendations.”

The following strategies to prevent cancer may help you reduce your risk:

  • Exercise: Maintaining an active lifestyle can keep your body healthy, in proper shape, and functioning correctly.
  • Weight: Obesity has been linked to an increased risk for many different types of cancers, though the reason behind this correlation is unclear. Maintaining a healthy body weight can help reduce your risk for such cancers.
  • Diet: Eating healthy, cancer fighting foods can provide your body with all the different nutrients it needs to function properly. Having the right balance of nutrients can help reduce stress on your body and boost healthy antioxidants, which help prevent DNA mutations.
  • Avoid smoking: This is one of the most important ways to prevent getting oral, lung, and many other types of cancer. Tobacco contains known carcinogens that introduce dangerous mutations into your DNA. Smoking is an unnecessary risk to your health that is completely avoidable. Even hookah and electronic cigarettes can lead to cancer, despite some common misconceptions about their safety. The first step is to avoid commencing the habit of smoking in the first place. But, if you are already addicted to tobacco products, you should seek help and support for quitting the habit. Even long-term smokers can reduce their risk for smoking-associated cancers by quitting permanently.
  • Drink moderately: Heavy drinking over time has been linked to different types of cancers such as liver, kidney, lung, breast, and colon cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, alcohol is known to cause oral cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, and cancers affecting the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Use sun protection: Protecting your skin from damaging UV rays of the sun is also an essential step in preventing cancer. Skin cancer is becoming increasingly common and can be prevented by using sunscreen, wearing UV blocking sunglasses, avoiding tanning beds, and limiting sun exposure.
  • Stay up-to-date on immunizations: There are multiple types of cancer associated with different viral infections. Important vaccines are hepatitis B, which can help prevent liver cancer, and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which can help prevent multiple types of cancer including cervical cancer.

By getting regular medical checkups, you can ensure you are in good health and catch health issues early, if they should arise. Early detection is one of the most important factors towards cancer prevention. The earlier it is diagnosed, the better the prognosis. Conducting self-examinations of your skin, breasts, and testicles are also important tools for early detection.

References:

American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2014. Atlanta, Ga: American Cancer Society; 2014.

http://www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/cancer-prevention/ (accessed on November 26, 2014)

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/adult-health/in-depth/cancer-prevention/art-20044816?pg=2 (accessed on November 26, 2014)

http://www.cancer.org/myacs/newengland/areahighlights/seven-steps-to-reduce-your-cancer-risk (accessed on November 26, 2014)

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/prevention/other.htm (accessed on November 26, 2014)

Helpful Peer-Reviewed Medical Articles:

Kamangar, F., Dores, G. M., & Anderson, W. F. (2006). Patterns of cancer incidence, mortality, and prevalence across five continents: defining priorities to reduce cancer disparities in different geographic regions of the world. Journal of clinical oncology, 24(14), 2137-2150.

Lappe, J. M., Travers-Gustafson, D., Davies, K. M., Recker, R. R., & Heaney, R. P. (2007). Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk: results of a randomized trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 85(6), 1586-1591.

Riboli, E., & Norat, T. (2003). Epidemiologic evidence of the protective effect of fruit and vegetables on cancer risk. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 78(3), 559S-569S.

Dale, K. M., Coleman, C. I., Henyan, N. N., Kluger, J., & White, C. M. (2006). Statins and cancer risk: a meta-analysis. Jama, 295(1), 74-80.

Higdon, J. V., Delage, B., Williams, D. E., & Dashwood, R. H. (2007). Cruciferous vegetables and human cancer risk: epidemiologic evidence and mechanistic basis. Pharmacological Research, 55(3), 224-236.

Was this article helpful

On the Article

Krish Tangella MD, MBA picture
Approved by

Krish Tangella MD, MBA

Pathology, Medical Editorial Board, DoveMed Team

0 Comments

Please log in to post a comment.

Related Articles

Test Your Knowledge

Asked by users

Related Centers

Loading

Related Specialties

Loading card

Related Physicians

Related Procedures

Related Resources

Join DoveHubs

and connect with fellow professionals

Related Directories

Who we are

At DoveMed, our utmost priority is your well-being. We are an online medical resource dedicated to providing you with accurate and up-to-date information on a wide range of medical topics. But we're more than just an information hub - we genuinely care about your health journey. That's why we offer a variety of products tailored for both healthcare consumers and professionals, because we believe in empowering everyone involved in the care process.
Our mission is to create a user-friendly healthcare technology portal that helps you make better decisions about your overall health and well-being. We understand that navigating the complexities of healthcare can be overwhelming, so we strive to be a reliable and compassionate companion on your path to wellness.
As an impartial and trusted online resource, we connect healthcare seekers, physicians, and hospitals in a marketplace that promotes a higher quality, easy-to-use healthcare experience. You can trust that our content is unbiased and impartial, as it is trusted by physicians, researchers, and university professors around the globe. Importantly, we are not influenced or owned by any pharmaceutical, medical, or media companies. At DoveMed, we are a group of passionate individuals who deeply care about improving health and wellness for people everywhere. Your well-being is at the heart of everything we do.

© 2023 DoveMed. All rights reserved. It is not the intention of DoveMed to provide specific medical advice. DoveMed urges its users to consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and answers to their personal medical questions. Always call 911 (or your local emergency number) if you have a medical emergency!