Can Cancer Be Prevented?

Sometimes cancer can be prevented. Looking at the whole country, it is quite possible that more than half of cancer deaths could be prevented -- if no one used tobacco and if everyone took steps to improve their health.
But is there a way to guarantee that you or your loved ones won't get cancer? So far, nothing has been found that is proven to prevent every case of cancer. Right now we know there are ways to prevent many cases of cancer in large groups of people. And there are things you can do that might help reduce your personal chance of getting cancer.
For people who do not use tobacco, the most important cancer risk factors that can be changed are body weight, diet, and physical activity. One-third of all cancer deaths in the United States each year are linked to diet and physical activity, including being overweight or obese, while another third is caused by tobacco products. Some diet and exercise recommendations developed by the American Cancer Society’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee and approved by the American Cancer Society National Board of Directors are:

• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight throughout life
• Be physically active
  
  • Adults:
    Get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity each day (or a combination of these), preferably spread throughout the week.
  • Children and teens:
    Get at least 1 hour of moderate or vigorous intensity activity each day, with at least 2.5 hours of moderate intensity aerobic activity each week.
• Limit sedentary behavior such as sitting, lying down, watching TV, and other forms of screen-based entertainment.
• Doing some physical activity above usual activities, no matter what one’s level of activity, can have many health benefits.
• Eat a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant foods
• Get Routine Medical Care
  • Mammogram
    Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health, or up to age 70 if there are no other risk factors.
  • Screening
    All women should begin cervical cancer testing (screening) at age 21. Women aged 21 to 29, should have screening every 3 years. Beginning at age 30, the preferred way to screen is with a Pap test. This is called co-testing and should continue until age 65. Another reasonable option for women 30 to 65 is to get tested every 3 years with just the Pap test.
• Other Health Tips
  • Individuals should check their skin for moles that are new, large, or irregular; contain more than one color; or change color.
  • An open dialogue with a family doctor supports important preventive measures on a timely basis, and if any tests suggest possible cancer, the result can be further explored quickly.
  • Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a periodic (regular) health exam by a health professional, at least every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.