SEATTLE, April 4, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Most people assume
that cancer is genetic and cannot be avoided. However, according to the
American Cancer Society, healthy behaviors could prevent approximately half
of cancer deaths. Below is a list of 10 lifestyle changes, all based on the
latest research, which people can make to improve their odds of preventing
cancer or catching it at its earliest, most curable stages.
-- Don't smoke or use any other tobacco products. Tobacco increases the
risk for many cancers including those of the lung, bronchus, head and neck,
colon, and bladder. If you smoke, stop. If you don't smoke, don't start. If
you've tried to quit before, don't give up -- eventually something will
work. Don't be afraid to ask for help from your physician, your family and
friends, your employer, and even your insurance company. There are so many
benefits to reducing smoking that many companies and insurance companies
provide free help for quitting smoking.
-- Get screened for cancer regularly. Several tests can find cancer at
a very early stage, sometimes even before a growth has turned cancerous.
Finding cancer early can greatly increase your chance for a cure and reduce
your risk of dying from the disease. Currently available cancer screening
includes:
* Colon: Starting at age 50, all people should have a colonoscopy (or
even younger if at high risk). The frequency of colon screening depends on
risk. A colonoscopy every 10 years is the norm for those with no personal
or family history of colon cancer or high-risk polyps. Those at high risk
may need more frequent testing. Acceptable alternatives for people who are
not at high risk for colon cancer include flexible sigmoidoscopy, CT
scanning and a test to check for hidden blood in the stool.
* Breast: Starting at age 40, all women should get an annual mammogram
(or even younger if at high risk) and a breast exam performed by a
clinician. Some women may be eligible for a breast MRI and ultrasound as
recommended by their physician.
* Prostate: Starting at age 50 (or younger if at high risk), all men
should have an annual physical exam (including a digital-rectal exam) and a
blood test to check for blood levels of prostate-specific antigen, or PSA,
which when elevated can be an indication of prostate cancer.
* Cervix: Cervical-cancer screening (cervical sampling for Pap smear
and human papillomavirus testing) should start as soon as a woman is
sexually active and should continue throughout life with frequency
depending on the woman's risk and age.
* Skin: All adults should have a yearly skin exam by their primary care
doctor. Those at high risk should have annual skin-cancer screening
performed by a dermatologist. Persons at high risk for melanoma or other
skin cancer should examine their own skin monthly.
-- Keep your alcohol consumption low. This means no more than two
drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. Alcohol use
increases risk for several cancers including those of the breast,
esophagus, colon, pancreas, and head and neck. Keeping your alcohol intake
to the minimum daily level doesn't mean that you can "save up" all your
drinks for a week and binge on Friday night with your weekly "allotment."
This type of binge drinking is dangerous because it reduces your ability to
make rational decisions, and it increases your risk of injury and of acute
heart failure.
-- Protect your skin from the sun. Use sunscreen every time you go
outdoors (preferably one with an SPF of 30 or higher that protects against
both UVA and UVB rays). Keep covered with a broad hat and sunglasses, keep
the amount of exposed skin to a minimum and limit time in the sun when it
is the strongest (usually 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) Remember that sun rays
penetrate car and other windows, so you should use sunscreen any time
you'll be getting sun exposure through a window. Never use a tanning bed,
as they are as dangerous as sun exposure. If you want a tan without going
outdoors, use a self-tanner, as such products do not cause skin cancer or
other skin damage.
-- Keep a physically active lifestyle. Research suggests that
exercising three to four hours per week at moderate or vigorous levels
reduces the risk of several cancers by 30 percent to 50 percent. Many
studies have shown that regular exercise lowers risk for breast and colon
cancers, and studies now suggest that risks for endometrial and lung cancer
may also be lower in people who exercise regularly. You don't need to be an
athlete to get the benefit of exercise. Activities like brisk walking,
biking, dancing, or any exercise that raises your heart rate and makes you
sweat will be beneficial.
-- Keep your weight in the normal range for your height. That means
keeping to a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or less. (You can calculate you
BMI with online calculators). People who are overweight or obese have
increased risk of developing several cancers including those of the colon,
breast, pancreas, liver, kidney and endometrium, and perhaps leukemia and
lymphoma. There is also evidence that men who are obese are more likely to
develop a deadly form of prostate cancer if they develop the disease. Keep
your weight steady; don't gain pounds over time. Try to stay within 5 to 10
pounds of what you weighed at age 18. The best way to avoid weight gain and
avoid overweight or obesity is to eat a diet high in vegetables and fresh
fruit and low in high-calorie foods like sugared drinks, refined
carbohydrates and fatty foods.
-- Avoid taking menopausal hormone therapy. Menopausal
hormone-replacement therapy increases risk for breast, endometrial and,
possibly, ovarian cancer. If you have menopausal symptoms, try to handle
them without hormone therapy including estrogens, progesterone, and
testosterone. If you need to take hormones, limit your use to less than
five years.
-- Consider taking medications for reducing cancer risk. There are
several medications that have been tested and found effective for reducing
risk for cancer. Anyone considering using such medications should talk with
their doctor about the pros and cons of these medications given their risk
for the disease. These include:
* Breast: Tamoxifen and raloxifene both reduce the chance of developing
breast cancer by half in women at increased risk for the disease. Women at
increased risk include those over age 60, and women who have certain family
histories of breast cancer or who have had certain types of benign breast
disease.
* Prostate: Finasteride has been shown to reduce the risk of developing
prostate cancer by 25 percent. However, it increases risk for some types of
advanced prostate cancer.
-- Avoid exposures to cancer-causing substances. Radiation exposures
and some chemicals are known to cause cancer. Make sure that any physician
who orders an X-ray for you, especially high-dose ones like CT scans, knows
how many previous X-rays you have had. If it is not an emergency medical
situation, ask whether there is an alternative examination that would work
for you, such as ultrasound or MRI, which do not have radiation. Limiting
X-ray exposure is especially important for children and teens. If you work
in an industry or occupation where you are exposed to radiation or
chemicals, be very careful to follow the regulations of your company and
the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
-- Eat a cancer-risk-reducing diet. The role of diet in cancer is far
from established, but research suggests that a plant-based diet is
associated with reduced risks for several cancers, especially for colon
cancer. Some general dietary guidelines for reducing cancer risk are:
* Keep your intake of red meat to a minimum. This means no more than 4
ounces of red meat per day on average. Four ounces of red meat is about as
big as a deck of cards.
* Avoid processed meats such as sausages and bologna. The chemicals
used to process such meats have been found to cause several kinds of
cancer.
* Eat a variety of non-starchy vegetables and fruits every day. The
National Cancer Institute recommends eating at least five servings of
vegetables and fruit per day, but most experts on cancer and diet recommend
at least double that amount. Experts further recommend that you eat a
variety of brightly colored vegetables and fruits, as these contain the
highest concentrations of vitamins. You can increase your intake of
vegetables by putting them into your breakfast omelet, by snacking on
carrots, and by mixing them into casseroles for dinner.
* Minimize your intake of high-calorie foods such as sugared drinks,
juices, desserts and candies, refined breads and bagels, and chips. By
lowering intake of these high-calorie foods and increasing your intake of
non-starchy vegetables, you will be better able to keep your weight to a
normal level and avoid gaining weight.
* Eat foods with high calcium and vitamin D levels such as fortified
low- or nonfat milk and yogurt. If you don't get enough through your diet,
you may want to take calcium and vitamin D supplements. Check with your
doctor, who may want to check your blood level of vitamin D, because many
Americans have been found to have a deficiency in this vitamin.
This news release was issued on behalf of Newswise(TM). For more
information, visit http://www.newswise.com.
SOURCE Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
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Related links:
http://www.fhcrc.org
CONTACT:
Kristen Woodward of Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center, +1-206-667-5095, kwoodwar@fhcrc.org
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