Cancer Prevention

Each year, more than 260,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women after skin cancer, yet there are more breast cancer survivors alive today than ever before – 3.3 million – thanks to advances in technology and early detection.

Your risk for breast cancer can change over time, due to factors such as aging or lifestyle. Simply being female is the primary risk factor for developing the disease. Medical experts advise the following to maintain good health and lower your overall risk for developing breast cancer.

Steps to reduce breast cancer risk

• Adhere to a healthy diet.
• Maintain healthy weight and body mass index.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Don’t smoke.
• Stay physically active.
• Breastfeed.
• Talk with your doctor if breast cancer runs in your family.

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers thanks to the HPV vaccine. HPV, or the human papillomavirus, causes 99% of all cervical cancers. The HPV vaccine, which is given in 2 doses, targets 9 different types of the virus.

The vaccine protects against HPV types that most commonly cause anal, cervical, head and neck, penile, vaginal and vulvar cancers. The Food and Drug Administration has approved the vaccine for individuals age 9 to 45.

Medical experts advise the following to reduce your risk for developing cervical cancer.

Steps to reduce cervical cancer risk

• Get the HPV vaccine (approved for ages 9-45).
• Get a Pap test.
• Don’t smoke.
• Limit the number of sexual partners.
• Use condoms.

Colorectal cancer screening is the most powerful weapon against colorectal cancer. Because of the increased incidence of colorectal cancer in younger adults, the American Cancer Society recommends people who are age 45, and at average risk, have regular colon cancer screening. This can include blood-based, stool-based or visual examinations.

Most colorectal cancers develop from precancerous polyps. Regular screening helps prevent colorectal cancer by finding and removing certain types of polyps before they turn into cancer. Screening can also help detect colorectal cancer early, when it’s small, hasn’t spread and is easier to treat.

The gold standard of screening is the colonoscopy, though other types of screenings are available. Talk with your doctor to determine which screening is right for you.

Steps to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer

• Eat a diet high in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and low in red and processed meats.
• Get regular physical activity.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Reduce consumption of red meat/processed meat.
• Start screening at age 45 (or before if you have other risk factors).
• Seek genetic counseling if you have a strong family history.
• Quit smoking.

Lung cancer is the No. 1 cause of cancer death in the United States, yet it is one of the easiest cancers to prevent because most cases are caused by smoking.

If you are a former or current smoker, you are at risk to develop lung cancer, and we encourage you to talk to your physician about your lung health. Even if you have smoked a long time, quitting can lower your chances of developing cancer. You also can lower your risk by ending your exposure to secondhand smoke.

Nonsmokers can develop lung cancer too. Exposure to other substances at home or in your workplace can significantly impact your risk of developing lung cancer. Radon exposure is estimated to be the second-leading cause of lung cancer, accounting for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year and about 2,900 of these deaths in people who have never smoked.

Be proactive and protect yourself at home and at work.

Steps to reduce your risk of lung cancer

• Avoid secondhand smoke.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Reduce your exposure to radon. Consider having your home tested or treated.
• Stay away from or protect yourself from cancer-causing agents, such as arsenic, asbestos, radon, radiation or radioactive dust.
• Quit smoking.

Head and neck cancers include a wide range of tumors that can develop in several areas of the head and neck. These include the throat, larynx, nose, sinuses, mouth, salivary glands, thyroid and parathyroid glands.

Approximately 75% of head and neck cancers are related to alcohol and/or tobacco use. HPV (human papillomavirus) infection is also often a factor, particularly in cancers involving the throat and tonsils. Recent studies show head and neck cancers are diagnosed more frequently in younger patients when  HPV is present.

Head and neck cancers that go undetected may spread and affect other regions of the body. Making certain lifestyle changes can significantly lower your risk of developing head and neck cancer. These include:

Steps to reduce head and neck cancer risk

• Get the HPV vaccine.
• Don’t use tobacco.
• Stop or limit alcohol consumption.
• Wear a protective face mask when there is potential occupational exposure.
• Practice safe sex.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the U.S. The American Cancer Society estimates, that in 2026, there will be more than 330,000 new cases of prostate cancer and more than 36,000 deaths from prostate cancer. While prostate cancer is a serious disease, more than 3.5 million men in the U.S. who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives are alive today.

Since 2014, cases of prostate cancer have increased 3% every year. We encourage you to ask your physician about a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The screening measures the prostate-specific antigen in your blood. An elevated PSA may indicate prostate cancer.

During their lifetime, about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Risk factors for prostate cancer are different for each man and are based on age, genetics, race and ethnicity as well as other factors. While no one can prevent prostate cancer, you can reduce your chances of developing the disease.

Steps to reduce your risk of prostate cancer

• Adhere to prostate screening guidelines as prostate cancer is most common in men over 50 years old.
• Share family history, including heredity conditions, with your doctor.
• Speak with a member of your care team to better understand your own personal risk based on age, race and ethnicity.

By far the most common cancer, skin cancer affects the young, old and everyone in between. About 6.1 million people are treated for skin cancer annually. The cause of most skin cancers is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays which can damage your skin cells. UV rays come from the sun, tanning beds and sunlamps.

By examining your skin, you can catch potentially dangerous conditions while they are still treatable. Contact a member of your care team if you have any concerns about skin abnormalities. Skin cancer is more treatable the earlier it is detected.

Some people are more at risk than others for having skin cancer. Those at higher risk include people who have regular exposure to UV rays, a family history of skin cancer, fairer skin, prevalent moles, past severe sunburns, weakened immune system and live in sunny or high-altitude climates.To protect your skin year-round, wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Reapply every 2 hours or more if you’re swimming or sweating.

Steps to reduce your risk of skin cancer

• Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen (15 to 30 minutes before you go outside) with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours if you’re swimming or sweating.
• Avoid sunburns in childhood.
• Keep newborns out of the sun.
• Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.
• See your physician every year, or as recommended, for a professional skin exam.
• Self-check your skin, and if you notice any changes or abnormalities, reach out to a member of your care team.
• Stay away from indoor tanning booths and beds, as well as sun lamps.
• Stay in the shade during peak sun hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
• Wear sun-protective clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) of +50 to help block the sun. Hats with wide brims are also help to shade your face from the sun’s rays.
• Wear UV-blocking sunglasses and use lip balm with an SPF of at least 30 .

Testicular cancer is common among men ages 18-39. Most men find testicular cancer themselves during a self-examination. Your doctor also may find it during a routine physical exam.

Testicular cancer is highly treatable – even if it has spread beyond the testicle – and in most cases, treatment leads to remission or cure. Most men who develop testicular cancer don’t have any risk factors. But some problems may increase your chances of developing testicular cancer.

No one can prevent testicular cancer. Talk with your doctor about self-examinations to detect testicular cancer, and make sure she or he is aware of your family or personal cancer history.

Steps to reduce testicular cancer risk

• Perform regular self-checks of your testicles (to look for lumps, hardening, change in size or shape, pain or discomfort or unusual size differences).
  
• Correct undescended testicles (cryptorchidism) before puberty.
  
• Limit dairy product consumption. One study showed a possible correlation between consuming dairy products – especially cheese – and an increased risk of testicular cancer.
  
• Adhere to a healthy diet.

One of the leading causes of death among women, ovarian cancer mainly develops in older women. Most ovarian cancers develop after menopause and half of all ovarian cancers are found in women age 63 or older.

The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2026, about 21,000 women will receive an ovarian cancer diagnosis and more than 12,000 women will die from the disease. Fortunately, ovarian cancer rates are on the decline as have deaths caused by the disease. Since 1976, ovarian cancer deaths have decreased by 45%. 

The cause of most ovarian cancers is unknown. Some risk factors include but are not limited to: 

•  Women age 63 or older
• Hereditary factors such as BRCA1 and BRAC2 genes and Lynch syndrome 
• Menstrual cycle starting before 12 years old or ending after 52 years old 
• Not having given birth 
• Endometriosis 
• Radiation exposure to your pelvis

It is important to talk with a member of your care team, so they are aware of your family and personal history.