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Cancer prevention: 7 tips to reduce your risk
Concerned about cancer prevention? Take charge by making small changes in your daily life, from eating a healthy diet to scheduling regular cancer screenings.
By Mayo Clinic staffYou've probably heard conflicting reports about cancer prevention. Sometimes the specific cancer-prevention tip recommended in one study or news report is advised against in another. If you're concerned about cancer prevention, take comfort in the fact that small changes in your daily life can make a big difference. Consider seven real-life cancer prevention tips.
1. Don't use tobacco
Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has been linked to various types of cancer — including cancer of the lung, bladder, cervix and kidney — and chewing tobacco has been linked to cancer of the oral cavity and pancreas. Even if you don't use tobacco, exposure to secondhand smoke may increase your risk of lung cancer.
Avoiding tobacco — or deciding to stop using it — is one of the most important health decisions you can make. It's also an important part of cancer prevention. If you need help quitting tobacco, ask your doctor about stop-smoking products and other strategies for quitting.
2. Eat a healthy diet
Although making healthy selections at the grocery store and at mealtime can't guarantee cancer prevention, it may help reduce your risk. Consider these guidelines:
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Base your diet on fruits, vegetables and other foods from plant sources — such as whole grains and beans.
- Limit fat. Eat lighter and leaner by choosing fewer high-fat foods, particularly those from animal sources. High-fat diets tend to be higher in calories and may increase the risk of overweight or obesity — which can, in turn, increase cancer risk.
- If you choose to drink alcohol, do so only in moderation. The risk of various types of cancer — including cancer of the breast, colon, lung, kidney and liver — increases with the amount of alcohol you drink and the length of time you've been drinking regularly.
3. Maintain a healthy weight and include physical activity in your daily routine
Maintaining a healthy weight may lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney. Physical activity counts, too. In addition to helping you control your weight, physical activity on its own may lower the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.
As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine — and if you can do more, even better. Try a fitness class, rediscover a favorite sport or meet a friend for daily brisk walks.
Next page(1 of 2)
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- Demark-Wahnefried W, et al. Lifestyle interventions to reduce cancer risk and improve outcomes. American Family Physician. 2008;77:1573.
- Ford ES. Healthy living is the best revenge: Findings from the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition — Potsdam study. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2009;169:1355.
- Cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/health_effects/cancer. Accessed June 15, 2010.
- Smoking and tobacco use. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/smokeless/smokeless_facts/index.htm. Accessed June 15, 2010.
- Health effects of secondhand smoke. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/index.htm. Accessed June 15, 2010.
- How do I protect myself from UV rays? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/ped_7_1x_Protect_Your_Skin_From_UV.asp. Accessed June 15, 2010.
- Recommended adult immunization schedule: United States, 2010. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/adult/2010/adult-schedule.pdf. Accessed June 15, 2010.
- What are the risk factors for liver cancer? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_liver_cancer_25.asp. Accessed June 15, 2010.
- Human papilloma virus (HPV), cancer, and HPV vaccines — Frequently asked questions. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_FAQ_HPV_Vaccines.asp. Accessed June 15, 2010.
- Detailed guide: HIV infection and AIDS — Cancers in HIV infection. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4x_AIDS-Related_Cancers_78.asp?sitearea=. Accessed June 15, 2010.
- Smith RA, et al. Cancer screening in the United States, 2010: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and issues in cancer screening. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2010;60:99.
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