Reducing Your Cancer Risk
While not all cancers can be prevented, certain behaviors can lower your risk. Eating a balanced diet, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol and protecting your skin from the sun are among the steps associated with a lower risk of cancer.
Screening and Early Detection
Cancer screening can find some cancers before symptoms appear, when treatment may be more effective. Screening recommendations depend on factors such as age, personal and family health history, and individual risk.
Talk with your healthcare provider about which screenings are appropriate for you and when you should receive them.
Hereditary Cancer Risk
Most cancers are not inherited, but genetic changes passed through families can increase the risk of certain cancers. A personal or family history of cancer, cancers diagnosed at younger ages or patterns of certain cancers within a family may be reasons to consider genetic counseling.
Genetic counseling and testing can help identify inherited cancer risk and inform decisions about screening and prevention.