Avoiding Cancer: 7 Ways To Reduce Risk

Statistics show that more than 40% of people will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime. That’s right: 2 out of 5 people will someday get the medical news nobody wants to receive.

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So, how can you tilt the odds to avoid cancer and get into that other percentage? As it turns out, there are things you can do to lower your cancer risk.

Let’s learn how from oncologist Suneel Kamath, MD.

Can you 100% prevent cancer?

Let’s make this simple: The answer is NO. All the healthy lifestyle changes in the world can’t guarantee that you’ll never develop cancer or other health issues. Sometimes, unexplained things happen. Your genetics can’t be changed either.

So, it’s a bit of an overstatement to say you can absolutely “prevent” cancer.

But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless against the disease, says Dr. Kamath. The decisions you make in your day-to-day life can lower your risk of getting cancer by more than 45%, according to global research.

“While cancer can occur for many different reasons, we see cases that could have been preventable,” he adds. “There are things you can do, actions you can take, that can improve your odds.”

How to lower cancer risk

So, what can you do to limit your chances of hearing the dreaded “c” word as a diagnosis? Here are seven ways you can decrease your cancer risk.

Don’t smoke

Cigarettes and the smoke they produce contain chemicals that are, simply put, poisonous. These toxins can damage the DNA (or genetic blueprints) of your body’s cells to fuel cancer growth.

“Then, if cancer cells start to grow within your body, the chemicals in cigarettes also impair your body’s ability to repair DNA damage and kill cancerous cells,” explains Dr. Kamath.

Nearly 9 out of 10 lung cancer cases are smoking-related. But smoking raises your risk of nearly every other type of cancer, too. The list includes various head and neck cancers and bladder cancer.

“There are many tumor types we rarely see in people who don’t smoke,” notes Dr. Kamath.

Of course, none of that should be a surprise given the required health warning label that appears on every pack and carton of cigarettes sold in the United States.

Yet millions upon millions of people still smoke in the U.S. and around the world.

“Smoking is still, unfortunately, very common, especially among men and particularly in developing countries,” he continues. “From a public health standpoint, there is a lot of opportunity to save lives by quitting.”

Avoid (or limit) alcohol

Alcohol is a known cause of cancer. Whether it’s beer, wine or liquor, your risk of getting cancer rises with every downed glass. That’s why there’s talk in the U.S. of alcoholic beverages getting a health-warning label like cigarettes.

Research shows that regular alcohol consumption increases your risk of cancers of the:

So, why does this happen? Basically, your body breaks alcohol down into a chemical that can damage your DNA and prevent your body from repairing that damage. That can lead to out-of-control cell growth and a cancerous tumor.

“No amount of alcohol is really safe,” warns Dr. Kamath. “Drinking less is better than drinking more, of course, but if you’re regularly drinking any amount of alcohol, your risk of cancer goes up.”

That reality is driving many people toward being more “sober curious” or giving up alcohol entirely.

Maintain a healthy weight

Conversations about weight and body fat can be difficult, but there’s a reason why the topic comes up in health discussions: Having obesity and overweight increases your risk of many diseases, including cancer.

Research shows an association between having a high body mass index (BMI) and multiple cancers in different areas of the body. (People with a higher BMI are also more likely to develop a second, unrelated cancer, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.)

“Obesity presents a modest increased risk for nearly every type of cancer,” says Dr. Kamath.

Exercise regularly

Regular physical activity does more than just keep you fit and toned. It can also reduce your risk of getting several common cancers, including:

Eat ‘natural’ foods

Do you ever look at the ingredient list on what you’re eating and see words that … well, don’t seem real? If so, odds are you’re getting ready to gobble down something that qualifies as an “ultra-processed food.”

The food products are typically a hodgepodge of additives and preservatives. They’re often laden with fats, starches, sugars, salts and hydrogenated oils.

They’re designed to please your taste buds and last for months (or more) on store shelves.

Unfortunately, it seems health risks rise with the amount of processing done on foods. Studies show an association between eating ultra-processed foods and several cancers, including breast, colorectal and pancreatic.

Adopting an eating plan (such as the Mediterranean diet) that focuses on more natural foods can help guard against cancer, says Dr. Kamath.

Practice safe sex

Practicing safe sex can do more than just protect you against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It can also reduce your cancer risk.

That’s because high-risk strains of STIs such as HPV (human papillomavirus) and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) have been linked to the formation of multiple types of cancer. The list includes:

“Practicing safe sex is a huge benefit as far as cancer risk is concerned,” reinforces Dr. Kamath.

Manage sun exposure

The most common form of cancer in the United States is skin cancer — and you expose yourself to a major cause of it every time you walk outside during the day.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight can damage your skin and create the sort of cellular mayhem that eventually leads to cancer, explains Dr. Kamath. You can protect yourself from UV rays by:

Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher
Wearing sun-protective clothing plus a hat and sunglasses
Limiting your time outside during peak sunlight hours

It’s not just natural UV ways you need to watch out for either. Tanning bed use can also increase your risk of skin cancers, including melanoma.

Making changes to limit cancer risk

Take a deep breath if you’re feeling overwhelmed thinking about potential changes you need to make to protect yourself against cancer. It’s a lot to take in all at once, acknowledges Dr. Kamath.

But if you’d like to adjust your lifestyle to better your odds against cancer, look to make some minor modifications.

“You don’t need to make sudden, drastic changes,” he says. “If you just start making small adjustments that you can sustain, that’s going to make a huge difference. And for most of us, these sorts of changes are doable.”

These actions have a cumulative effect, too. Many bad habits established during your youthful days can lead to cancer cases later — so, the earlier you start making better choices, the better off you’ll be.

“From a public health standpoint, it’s most important to start making positive changes earlier, like in your 20s and 30s,” adds Dr. Kamath. “If you can develop healthy habits when you’re young, you’re more likely to continue them as you age, which is how you mitigate risk.”

If you’re older than that now, don’t fret: Making changes at any point can bring positive effects.

“It’s always a good time to start making healthy changes — and every little bit can help,” encourages Dr. Kamath. “Take the opportunity to maximize your cancer prevention.”

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