Prevent
Over one-third of cancers are preventable.
Reduce your cancer risk by making wiser lifestyle choices.
Over a third of all cancers can be prevented by reducing your exposure to risk factors such as tobacco, obesity, physical inactivity, infections, alcohol, environmental pollution, occupational carcinogens and radiation.
Prevention of certain cancers may also be effective through vaccination against the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), helping to protect against liver cancer and cervical cancer respectively.
Reducing exposures to other carcinogens such as environmental pollution, occupational carcinogens and radiation could help prevent further cancers.
Tobacco kills 8 million people worldwide each year, mainly in low- and middle-income countries where 80% of the world’s smokers live. However, not only smokers are at risk, second-hand smoking causes 1.2 million deaths per year. Tobacco use is a leading cause of multiple cancers such as oral cancers, lung, liver, stomach, bowel and ovarian cancers, as well as some types of leukaemia.
Tobacco use is the single greatest avoidable risk factor for cancer mortality.
In 2012, approximately 15% of all cancers were attributable to infectious agents. This does not mean that these cancers can be caught like an infection; rather the virus can cause changes in cells that make them more likely to become cancerous.
Around 70% of cervical cancers are caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, while liver cancer and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma can be caused by the Hepatitis B and C virus, and lymphomas are linked to the Epstein-Barr virus.
Available prophylactic HPV vaccines protect against the common cancer-causing types of human papilloma virus and can significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer.
Regular physical activity not only helps to reduce excess body fat and the cancer risks associated with this, but being physically active can help to reduce the risks of developing colon, breast and endometrial cancers.
Excess weight has been linked to an increased risk of developing 12 different cancers, including bowel and pancreatic cancers. In general, greater weight gain, particularly as adults, is associated with greater cancer risks.
Experts suggest that diets and nutritional intake, particularly diets high in red meats, processed meats, salted foods and low in fruits and vegetables have an impact on cancer risks, particularly colorectum, nasopharynx and stomach.
Source: cancer.gov/obesity-fact-sheet
The evidence that all types of alcoholic drinks are a cause of a number of cancers is now stronger than ever before. Alcohol can increase the risk of six types of cancers, including bowel (colorectal), breast, mouth, pharynx and larynx (mouth and throat), oesophageal, liver and stomach. The evidence suggests that in general, the more alcohol drinks people consume, the higher the risk of many cancers, and that even moderate alcohol intake increases the risk of cancer.
Harmful use of alcohol caused some 1.7 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases in 2016, including 0.4 million deaths from cancers.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified outdoor air pollution as a cancer-causing agent (carcinogen). Pollution of air, water and soil with carcinogenic chemicals contributes to the cancer burden to differing degrees depending on the geographical settings. It is estimated that outdoor air pollution contributed to 3.2 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012 including more than 200,000 lung cancer deaths.
Manmade sources of radiation including radon, x-rays, gamma rays and other forms of high-energy radiation, can cause cancer and are a risk for workers. Prolonged and unprotected exposure to ultraviolet radiations from the sun, sunlamps and tanning beds can also lead to melanoma and skin malignancies. Risks increase when the exposure occurs at a young age and also when the exposure amount is higher. People of all skin tones can develop skin cancer, including individuals with darker skin, however fair-skinned people, individuals with a lot of moles or who have a family history of melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer, are at highest risk.
Radiation is used in medicine and can help save lives as well as prevent the need for more invasive procedures. However, inappropriate use may cause harm because of unnecessary and unintended radiation doses for patients.
More than 40 agents are carcinogenic to humans and are classified as occupational carcinogens. Some people risk being exposed to a cancer-causing substance because of the work that they do. It is well documented that occupational carcinogens are causally related to lung cancer, mesothelioma, and bladder cancer. Asbestos is a well-known workplace cause of cancer - particularly a cancer called mesothelioma, which most commonly affects the covering of the lungs.
Last update
Sunday 20 November 2022