Cancer Prevention
What you eat and drink, how you live, where you work, and your daily habits are all factors that affect your risk for cancer. ... Staying educated and smartly regulating these risk factors will help you better prevent cancer. ... The 1982 US Surgeon General’s Report states, "Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer mortality in the United States. ... It directly causes lung cancer and contributes to dozens of other illnesses affecting adults and infants whose mothers smoke -- yet quitting restores health in several ways even after years of smoking. ... Over time, this invisible carcinogen causes premature aging, eye damage, a greater risk of skin cancer, and more. ... UV exposure that is intense enough to cause sunburn clearly increases a persons risk of developing skin cancer. And UV exposure can increase skin cancer risk even without causing sunburn. A sunburn will fade, but damage to deeper layers of skin remains and can eventually cause cancer. ... Actinic keratoses are small (usually less than 1/4 inch) rough or scaly spots that sometimes turn into squamous, cell cancer. Besides skin cancer, the suns UV radiation also increases the risk of cataracts and certain other eye problems, and can suppress the immune system. Physical activity and your diet can affect your risk for cancer. Eating right, being active, and maintaining a healthy weight are important ways to reduce your risk of cancer—as well as heart disease and diabetes.