“Small lifestyle changes today can prevent a lifetime of suffering tomorrow.”

How it Can be Prevented

Simple Lifestyle Changes for Cancer Prevention


Making small adjustments to your daily habits can have a significant impact on reducing your risk of cancer. Consider these essential cancer prevention tips:

1. Avoid Tobacco

Using any form of tobacco puts you at a heightened risk for cancer. Smoking is directly linked to various cancers, including those of the lung, mouth, throat, larynx, pancreas, bladder, cervix, and kidney. Chewing tobacco is associated with cancers of the oral cavity and pancreas.
Even if you don’t use tobacco, being around secondhand smoke can also increase your risk, particularly for lung cancer. Choosing to quit or never starting is one of the most important decisions you can make for your health and is a key component of cancer prevention.
If you need assistance in quitting tobacco, speak to your doctor about stop-smoking aids or other strategies that can support you in breaking the habit.

2. Get Vaccinated

Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections that can lead to cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider about vaccinations for:

  • Hepatitis B: This virus increases the risk of liver cancer. Vaccination is especially important for high-risk groups, including people who are sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, those with sexually transmitted infections, intravenous drug users, men who have sex with men, and healthcare or public safety workers exposed to blood or bodily fluids.
  • Human Papillomavirus (HPV): HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical cancer, as well as genital cancers and head and neck cancers. The HPV vaccine is recommended for girls and boys aged 11-12. It’s also available for both men and women up to the age of 26 who were not vaccinated during adolescence.

3. Avoid Risky Behaviors

Another effective cancer prevention strategy is to steer clear of behaviors that can lead to infections, which may increase cancer risk. Here are some ways to protect yourself:

  • Practice Safe Sex: Limiting your number of sexual partners and consistently using condoms can reduce your risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections like HIV or HPV. Both of these viruses are linked to several cancers. HIV increases the risk of cancers such as those of the anus, liver, and lung, while HPV is commonly associated with cervical cancer and can also increase the risk of cancers of the anus, penis, throat, vulva, and vagina.
  • Don’t Share Needles: Sharing needles for drug use can spread HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C—all of which elevate the risk of liver cancer. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, seek professional help to overcome the addiction and reduce the associated risks.