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Smoking and drinking alcohol cause some people to get
certaintypes of cancer. All cancers caused by cigarette smoking and
heavy use
of alcohol could be prevented completely. The best thing is to never
use tobacco at all. Cigarettes, cigars, pipes and smokeless tobacco all
cause cancer and should not be used. People who already smoke should
try to quit -- we know that former smokers have less risk of cancer
than do people who continue to smoke.
Many of the more than 1 million skin cancers that are
diagnosed every year could have been prevented by protecting the skin
from the sun's rays and avoiding indoor tanning. The chances
of getting skin cancer can be lowered by staying in the shade as much
as you can, wearing a hat and shirt when you are in the sun, and using
sunscreen.
About one third of the cancer deaths expected every year are
related to nutrition, overweight or obesity, and physical inactivity,
and thus could also be prevented. We know that our diet, (what we eat)
is linked to some types of cancer, but the exact reasons are not yet
clear. The best advice is to eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables,
whole grains like pasta and bread, and limit foods high in saturated
fat, like high-fat dairy products, processed meats (like bacon, hot
dogs, and luncheon meats), and red meats. It is also important to get
to and stay at a healthy weight and get at least 30 to 45 minutes of
physical activity on at least 5 days per week. You can get more
information on this in our document, American Cancer Society
Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention.
Certain cancers are related to infectious diseases, such as
hepatitis B virus (HBV), human papilloma virus (HPV), human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), and
others. Many of these could be prevented through behavioral changes,
vaccines, or antibiotics.
There is no way to prevent most cancers, but the best plan is
to avoid risk factors you can control and make healthy lifestyle
choices. Also see the section, "Cancer
screening and early detection"
for more information on things you can do to prevent cancer.
Last Medical Review: 02/24/2009
Last Revised: 02/24/2009
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