Cancer Prevention: Five Tips to Reduce Your Risk

Cancer is one of the scariest words in the English language. Despite incredible breakthroughs in treatment and prevention, the disease hasn’t lost its ability to terrify. Most people don’t like to even think about getting cancer, let alone considering cancer prevention methods. Unfortunately, every year nearly two million people in the United States learn they have the disease while over 600,000 Americans will die from it. Across the globe, the World Health Organization believes there will be a huge increase in cancer rates this century. 

While there are many cancer causes, the disease begins when genetically damaged cells divide and grow. If those genetically damaged cells pass along their DNA, the result is cancerous tumors which can spread.

Damaged DNA is the culprit behind diseases, but your healthy DNA could be the key to prevention. The innovative GRAIL’s Galleri test examines over 100,000 DNA regions and one million specific sites to identify a common marker for hidden cancers. This test is available at Action Urgent Care clinics throughout the Bay Area. Your Annual Physical, typically covered by insurance, is easily accessible with just a click. You can schedule your appointment here.

Fortunately, cancer is not inevitable. While no absolute promises exist, the subsequent five tips have been scientifically validated to lower your risk.

1. Get Fit

We all have busy lives. Worse, it often seems as if the easiest, fastest meals are the ones that are bad for us. Still, out of all the cancer prevention methods, getting fit tops most lists. If you’re worried about cancer risk factors, being overweight and not exercising are the primary reason people develop the disease. In fact, research suggests that being overweight increases your risk of developing 13 different cancers including esophagus cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, “excess body weight is thought to be responsible for about 11% of cancers in women and about 5% of cancers in men in the United States, as well as about 7% of all cancer deaths.”

Healthy eating is key –– not starvation diets. Doctors and nutritionists are increasingly recommending the Mediterranean diet for everyone –– not just people who are overweight. Instead of the short-term fix provided by a diet that relies on shakes or pre-made meals, this way of eating is designed to be part of your life. Although not strictly vegetarian, its focus is on fruits and vegetables along with legumes and nuts for protein. Cooking with olive oil rather than butter or vegetable oil is an important component of this diet as is eating fish and chicken rather than red meat. 

What you eat plays a big role in your risk. A healthy diet is one of the best cancer prevention methods. Start by looking at the ingredients listed on the food and drinks you buy. If your favorite microwaveable meal lists 50 different ingredients and you can only pronounce four of them, that’s a good sign it’s highly processed. Highly processed foods really increase your likelihood of developing cancer. So does a diet heavy in red meat, processed meat, and sugary drinks. 

Of course, just losing weight isn’t the answer. In fact, if you are thin but never exercise you could still be at risk. Often people who are below a BMI of 25 (which is considered healthy) still have a high enough body fat percentage to put them at risk of heart disease, diabetes, and yes, cancer. That’s why exercise is so important. Besides helping you lose weight, if you are physically active you reduce your risk of developing breast and bowel cancer. 

That doesn’t mean you have to train for a triathlon. You don’t even need to join a health club. Gardening, walking, and going dancing are all great ways to get some fun exercise. Start slow. Walk a few blocks or swim a few laps. Consider buying an old fashioned, human-powered bike. 

If you have one of the cancer risk factors like family history or an unhealthy diet, testing can help you determine your risk. That’s why Kyla offers an inexpensive at-home test. You might also consider the Galleri test, which is specifically recommended for adults who have a likelihood of developing cancer, such as those over the age of 50 or anyone with a family history.

2. Consider Changing Some of Your Behaviors

Some of the things we do can increase our risk –– in fact smoking or using tobacco products is one of the primary cancer causes. Although cigarette use has declined, it’s important to note that smoking cigars or pipes or using chewing tobacco also increases your risk. Although nicotine is addictive, it has not been definitively linked to cancer which is why e-cigarettes are a safer alternative. If you’re currently smoking and want to reduce your likelihood of developing cancer, then switching to an e-cig is a good start.

Sexual health can be an uncomfortable topic, but study after study confirms that maintaining a monogamous relationship is a proven cancer prevention method. Besides reducing your risk for some cancers, staying with the one person you love can extend your lifespan and improve your physical and mental health. One of the more significant cancer risk factors is having multiple partners as it can increase your chances of getting the human papillomavirus (HPV). This sexually transmitted virus has been linked to numerous genital cancers, along with cervical cancer and squamous cell cancers of the head and neck. Having multiple partners or sharing needles is one of the main causes of hepatitis B, which can lead to liver cancer. Excessive drinking also makes most lists of primary cancer causes as overconsumption of alcohol has been linked to breast cancer along with cancers of the lungs, kidneys, colon, and liver. 

3. Sun Worship Can Be Dangerous

Absorbing Vitamin D from the radiant sun is beneficial in moderation, yet excessive sun exposure can pose risks to your health. Regular tanning represents one of the cancer risk factors, and can lead to basal and squamous cell skin cancers. It should be noted that the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma, has not been definitively linked to sun exposure. Blondes or redheads, people with green or blue eyes, and those with fair skin and freckles are at an increased risk, as are people with a large number of moles, people who had severe sunburns as children, and those with a family history of skin cancer. 

4. Get Your Shots 

Certain vaccinations can reduce your likelihood of developing cancer. As noted earlier, both hepatitis B and HPV can lead to a number of cancers. Fortunately, vaccines are available for both diseases. While the vaccine for hepatitis B is recommended for adults in high risk categories (such as those with multiple partners or those who share needles,) the HPV vaccine is for tween boys and girls –– recently the vaccine Gardasil 9 was approved for men and women between the ages of nine and 45.

5. Get Tested

This particular method consistently appears on almost every compilation of top strategies for preventing cancer. Although there are several tests that have been available for cancer screening, unfortunately more than 70% of cancers are ones for which screening is usually not available. Until now. GRAIL’s Galleri test relies on a tiny blood sample to provide early detection of more than 50 different types of cancer. It’s designed for people who don’t have any signs of cancer and are worried about getting the disease. 

As explained in the medical journal American Family Physician, the test uses “artificial intelligence analysis of cell-free DNA to recognize patterns associated with cancer and identify the likely tissue of origin. The Galleri test is not meant to replace current population-based cancer screening recommendations…”

Inquire about your eligibility for GRAIL’s cancer screening test during your annual physical appointment at Action Urgent Care clinics in the Bay Area. Schedule your appointment here.

Examining the latest information and research on cancer, a team of researchers concluded that because of the dramatic “increase in the incidence of cancer, a strong emphasis should be placed on prevention. Preventive actions bring benefits not only to the individual, but are an important aspect of health policy.” Each of us has the opportunity to take control of our own health.

Thanks to Kyla, you can access a wide variety of tests. All the tests include optional follow-up appointments with medical professionals who will help you get on the right track. So take the time to find the right test for you and do your part to prevent cancer.

Sources:

1. “What is Galleri?” https://www.galleri.com/what-is-galleri

“Cancer Facts & Figures 2022,” American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/all-cancer-facts-figures/cancer-facts-figures-2022.html#:~:text=The Facts & Figures annual report,deaths in the United States.) 

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