“Cancer prevention is action taken to lower the risk of getting cancer. This can include maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding exposure to known cancer-causing…”.1

Umbrella
What may the Cancer Prevention Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Cancer Prevention
  • Cancer Risk
  • Cancer and Prevention
  • Ways To Reduce Cancer
  • Ways To Reduce Cancer Risk

Cancer Prevention

What is cancer prevention?

DotS the definition of cancer prevention may vary. In Causes and Prevention the (United States) National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) definition is:

“Cancer prevention is action taken to lower the risk of getting cancer. This can include maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding exposure to known cancer-causing substances, and taking medicines or vaccines that can prevent cancer from developing”.2

Prevention

How may cancer be prevented?

In Cancer Prevention Recommendations the World Cancer Research Fund’s recommendations are:

Cancer Prevention“Our Cancer Prevention Recommendations are the conclusions of an independent panel of experts – they represent a package of healthy lifestyle choices which, together, can make an enormous impact on people’s likelihood of developing cancer and other non-communicable diseases over their lifetimes.

  • Be a healthy weight…
  • Be physically active…
  • Eat a better diet…
  • Limit “fast” foods
  • Limit red and processed meat…
  • Cut down on sugary drinks…
  • Limit alcohol consumption
  • Do not use supplements for cancer prevention…”.3

In Cancer Facts for Women: What Else You Can Do To Help Reduce Your Cancer Risk the American Cancer Society (ACS) explain:

  • “Stay away from tobacco
  • Get to and stay at a healthy weight
  • Get moving with regular physical activity
  • Follow a healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and that limits or avoids red/processed meats, and highly processed foods
  • It’s best not to drink alcohol. If you do drink, have no more than 1 drink per day for women
  • Protect your skin
  • Know yourself, your family history, and your risks
  • Have regular check-ups and cancer screening tests”.4

Health Care Provider

What if I would like to lower my risk of cancer?

If you would like to lower your risk of cancer, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. The NCI note:

“Avoiding cancer risk factors may help prevent certain cancers. Risk factors include smoking, being overweight, and not getting enough exercise. Increasing protective factors such as quitting smoking and exercising may also help prevent some cancers. Talk to your doctor or other health care professional about how you might lower your risk of cancer”.5

In Cancer Facts for Women the ACS explain:

“Some of the cancers that most often affect women are breast, colorectal, endometrial, lung, cervical, skin, and ovarian cancers. Knowing about these cancers and what you can do to help prevent them or find them early (when they are small, haven’t spread, and might be easier to treat) may help save your life”.6

Health Topics A-Z

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In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Links

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Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Causes and Prevention. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention Accessed: 30 October 2023
  2. Causes and Prevention. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention Accessed: 30 October 2023
  3. Cancer Prevention Recommendations. World Cancer Research Fund https://www.wcrf.org/diet-and-cancer/cancer-prevention-recommendations Accessed: 30 October 2023
  4. Cancer Facts for Women: What Else You Can Do To Help Reduce Your Cancer Risk. Last Revised: 27 August 2021. American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/healthy/findcancerearly/womenshealth/cancer-facts-for-women Accessed: 30 October 2023
  5. Skin Cancer Prevention–Patient Version (PDQ): Skin Cancer Prevention – Avoiding Risk Factors and Increasing Protective Factors May Help Prevent Cancer. Updated 23 October 2023. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/types/skin/patient/skin-prevention-pdq#section/_16 Accessed: 30 October 2023
  6. Cancer Facts for Women. Last Revised: 27 August 2021. American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/healthy/findcancerearly/womenshealth/cancer-facts-for-women Accessed: 30 October 2023
Topic Last Updated: 25 February 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 30 October 2023

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