Protecting Yourself from Cancer

People once thought that there was little that they could do to protect themselves against cancer. In recent years, however, scientists have taken a closer look at cancer. They've learned more about how the disease develops and about things that increase cancer risk. We now know that you can take steps to protect yourself against cancer. Your habits and behaviors can increase or decrease your risk of cancer. Lifestyle habits affect your health over many years. Here are some tips for protecting yourself from cancer:

• Stop smoking. Cigarette and cigar smoking, chewing tobacco, and snuff cause cancer of the lung, throat, mouth, and esophagus. Also stay away from other people who are smoking. Passive smoking, or secondhand smoke, can cause lung cancer even when you don’t smoke yourself. Smoking is also a strong risk factor for bladder cancer. Smoking has also been linked to cancer of the cervix in women.
• Try to limit the saturated fat in your diet. Eating too much saturated fat may increase the risk for colon, prostate, and breast cancer.
• Eat 4 to 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The antioxidants in these foods may help protect against cancer.
• Be physically active.
• Try to keep a healthy weight.
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to no more than 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men. Drinking too much alcohol is related to cancer of the nose, mouth, tongue, digestive tract, liver, and breast.
• Avoid a lot of exposure to the sun. Melanoma is one of the skin cancers usually related to being out in the sun. Use sunscreen and a hat whenever you go out in the sun, regardless of the color of your skin.
• When working with or around chemicals that can cause cancer, use protective gear such as gloves, protective clothing, and respirators. Follow the manufacturer's instructions when you use chemicals at home or in the yard.
• Protect yourself from sexually transmitted viruses. Some sexually transmitted viruses, such as human papillomavirus (HPV), increase the risk of cervical and anal cancers. Be sure your partner does not have any sexually transmitted disease. Use a latex or polyurethane condom every time you have sex unless you are in a long-term relationship with the same partner and your partner has no other sexual partners.
• Don’t use illegal drugs. They can expose you to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and AIDS/HIV viruses. These viruses are related to cancer of the liver and other cancers.
• Ask your healthcare provider if the HPV or hepatitis B shots are recommended for you.

If cancer is discovered early, treatment is much more successful. Have a medical checkup every year that includes cancer screening. Ask your healthcare provider for the cancer screening tests that are recommended for your age and family history. Be alert for signs of cancer between checkups.

Take small steps toward a healthy lifestyle. If you decide you need to make changes in the way you live, you probably won't be able to turn your life around all at once. Set a goal and try to practice healthy habits that lead to the healthy lifestyle goal. If you do, you may lower your chances for cancer quite a bit.

To learn more about cancer, call the American Cancer Society at 800-ACS-2345 or the National Cancer Institute at 800-4-CANCER.