National Cancer Prevention Month 2025
February is National Cancer Prevention Month. Cancer prevention is the action taken to lower the risk of getting cancer. There are multiple ways to reduce the risk of getting cancer including maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding cancer causing substances, and taking medicines or vaccines that prevent cancer from developing.
The first thing you can do to reduce your risk of getting cancer is not use tobacco products. Smoking is linked to many types of cancer including lung, mouth, throat, voice box, pancreas, bladder, cervix, and kidney. Secondhand smoke also raises your risk of cancer. Chewing tobacco is also a risk and can lead to cancer of the mouth, throat, and pancreas. Not using tobacco products is a great way to reduce your cancer risk. If you do use tobacco products, there are products that can help you quit.
Eating a healthy diet can also reduce your risk of getting cancer. Maintaining a healthy diet like eating a lot of fruits and vegetables and eating from other plant sources like whole grains and beans should reduce your risk. Limiting foods high in calories, fats, and added sugars is also a good strategy. Limiting red meat, processed meats, refined grains, and saturated and trans fats are great ways to reduce your risk of getting cancer. It is also important not to drink alcohol or drink very little of it. Alcohol increases the risk of cancer including breast, colon, lung, kidney, and liver. The risk goes up the more someone drinks. If you eat a mediterranean diet, you can reduce your risk of getting breast cancer. The diet includes mostly plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts. Healthy fats like olive oil are used instead of butter and fish is eaten instead of red meat.
Staying at a healthy weight and staying out of the sun can also reduce your risk of getting cancer. Being at a healthy weight could lower your risk of getting some types of cancer including breast, pancreas, liver, colon, and kidney. Doing physical activity can also reduce your risk of getting breast and colon cancer. Protection from the sun can help you reduce your risk of getting one of the most common types of cancer, skin cancer. Limiting time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are the strongest. When you are outside, stay in the shade as much as possible. Also wear sunglasses and a broad brimmed hat. Wear clothing that covers as much skin as possible. Also, wear sunscreen like a broad-spectrum high SPF of at least 30. Put on sunscreen every two hours and more often if you are swimming or sweating. Finally, avoid sunbeds and sunlamps because they can do as much harm as the sun.
Getting vaccinated also reduces your risk of getting cancer. There are vaccinations for Hepatitis B, which increases the risk of getting liver cancer. Also get vaccinated for HPV. HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical cancer and other genital cancers as well as squamous cell cancers of the head and neck. Stay away from risky behaviors to reduce your risk of getting cancer. People who engage in risky behavior like having sex with more than one partner, or having sex with someone else who has more than one sexual partner increases risk. Practicing safe sex can reduce your risk. Limiting sexual partners and using a condom reduce the risk of getting HIV or HPV. People with HIV or AIDS have a higher risk of getting cancers of the anus, liver, and lung. HPV is linked to cervical cancer but can also cause anus, penis, throat, vulva, and vagina cancers. Another risky behavior to avoid is sharing needles. Using shared needles can lead to HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, which increases risk of liver cancer.
Another way to prevent cancer is to avoid carcinogens like asbestos. Asbestos is a harmful mineral that can cause mesothelioma, lung, and other cancers. Asbestos is a mineral made up of tiny microscopic fibers and once they are inhaled they become lodged in human tissue like the lungs, colon, throat, and mesothelium. Over time, the fibers cause DNA changes in cells turning them into cancer cells. Asbestos was widely used in construction and other trades and can be found in insulation, roofing shingles, floor tiles, paints, ceiling, pipe insulation, wall cladding, cement sheeting, sprayed on fireproofing, and certain types of vinyl flooring.
Finally, you should get regular medical care. Regular screenings for cancers for skin, colon, cervix, and breast cancers increase the chances of catching the cancers early. This helps because this is when treatments are most effective. Ask a healthcare provider about the best cancer screenings for you.
Were you exposed to a harmful chemical substance like asbestos and later diagnosed with lung cancer, mesothelioma, or another cancer? Contact us today to see if you could be entitled to compensation. Call 412-471-3980 or fill out our contact form and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
