Nutrition

Cancer Prevention Tips from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

The following story is from Dana Farber-Cancer Institute

At least one-third of all cancer cases are preventable. By making even small changes in your everyday life, you can help reduce your risk for developing certain types of the disease. These changes not only reduce your cancer risk; they also form the foundation of a healthy lifestyle.

Dana-Farber supports efforts to raise cancer prevention awareness during National Cancer Prevention Month. Use the tips and resources below to educate yourself on prevention strategies.

Prevention tips:
Eat healthy foods. A diet that is low in alcohol, processed sugars, red meat, and calories, and high in fruits and vegetables and loaded with antioxidants, is one of the simplest ways to reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Exercise to decrease cancer risk
Protect yourself from the sun. Sun exposure is the most common cause of skin cancer.

Don't use tobacco.
Smoking and tobacco use has been linked to many types of cancer, including lung, mouth, throat, kidney, and pancreatic, among others.

Get screened.
Certain cancers can be detected early through screening.

Cancer Prevention Quick Facts
Scientists estimate that as many as 50-75 percent of cancer deaths in the United States are caused by human behaviors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and poor dietary choices.

Scientists believe that cigarette smoking causes about 30 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States.

Obesity is estimated to cause 14 percent of cancer deaths in men and 20 percent of cancer deaths in women.

Viruses cause more cases of cancer in the developing world (about 1 in 4 cases of cancer) than in developed nations (less than 1 in 10 cases of cancer).

Source: National Cancer Institute

updated 3 months ago