Is Cancer Preventable?

According to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, only five percent of cancers are hereditary. Of course, not all cancers are preventable; unfortunately healthy people get cancer all the time. However, there are some actions you can take to reduce your risk of getting certain types of cancers, such as:

• Skin cancer
• Lung cancer
• Breast cancer
• Oral cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Colon cancer
• Prostate cancer

Take Control of Your Cancer Risk

The healthier the lifestyle you follow, the less chance you will have at developing certain cancers. What does “healthy lifestyle” mean? It means more than simply eating a healthy diet. It means being proactive about your health – and your entire family’s health – by:

• Avoiding processed foods – choose “natural, fresh” foods typically found on the perimeter of grocery stores
• Regularly exercising and staying physically active
• Avoiding tobacco and exposure to cigarette smoke
• Keeping your body weight within healthy limits
• Protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays by applying and reapplying sunscreen with UVB and UVA protection – all year long – and wearing protective eyewear when outdoors
• Staying away from tanning beds
• Practicing safe sex by using condoms and limiting your sexual partners
• Never sharing needles
• Getting vaccinated for the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) for cervical cancer and Hepatitis B (a virus that infects the liver)
• Visiting your doctor and dentist for regular health screenings, especially if you have a family history of cancer – early detection is often vital to surviving cancer
• Performing regular self-checks to identify changes in your own body and immediately scheduling an appointment with your doctor for full testing if you find anything suspicious

The bottom line is that yes, some cancers are preventable. When you follow the lifestyle choices listed above, you may not only reduce your risk for cancer you will also have more energy and will feel better overall. 

To schedule a preventative cancer screening or get on the path toward a healthier lifestyle, contact Dr. Marilyn Kutzscher in San Francisco at 415-923-3560 or marilynkmd.com.