In the United States, 4 out of 10 cancer cases are associated with preventable risk factors. That's according to the American Association for Cancer Research's latest Cancer Progress Report. February is National Cancer Prevention Month, and Dr. John Ebert, medical director of the Mayo Clinic Nicotine Addiction Center, says it's never too late to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of cancer. To tell.
What do tobacco, alcohol, and obesity have in common? All of these can increase your risk of developing cancer. Smoking is strongly associated with cancer in almost every part of the body.
“Smoked cigarettes produce about 7,000 chemicals, and when you breathe those chemicals into your body, they cause changes in your cells. And it's these changes in your cells that can cause cancer,” Ebert says. he says.
Smoking also weakens the immune system, making it harder to fight cancer cells, he says. One of the best ways to lower your risk of cancer is not to smoke any kind of cigarettes.
“We always say it's never too late to quit smoking. And, for example, quitting cigarettes lowers your risk of cancer. But it takes time,” says Evert.
Alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer, head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, and colorectal cancer.
“Although there is a risk of cancer at all levels of alcohol consumption, heavy drinkers have a higher cancer risk than light drinkers,” Ebert says.
Finally, gaining extra weight can increase your risk of cancer in several ways.
“Excess weight increases estrogen and insulin, which increases the rate of cell division and can increase the risk of cancer. But excess weight is also associated with inflammation, and inflammation can put you at risk for developing cancer. “It's known as the factor,” Ebert said.
Bariatric surgery has been shown to reduce the risk of hormone-related cancers such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer. However, there are not many drastic measures that people can take.
“When it comes to diet and exercise, small, sustainable steps toward weight loss are the most effective. These are the classic approaches, but there are also new drugs on the market that can help you lose weight,” Evert said. say.