Understanding Cancer Prevention: Controllable and Uncontrollable Risk Factors
Posted April 07, 2025
It’s never too late to make cancer prevention your top priority.
Cancer affects 1 in 3 people in this country, according to the American Cancer Society. If you haven’t been touched by it, you likely know someone who has — a friend, family member, coworker or neighbor.
With odds like that, why not take the necessary steps to help prevent it in the first place?
While you can’t avoid all causes of cancer, you can significantly reduce your risks — while at the same time decreasing risks for other chronic diseases — by making healthy lifestyle changes. Committing to habits like regular exercise, eating better, avoiding tobacco and getting screened can greatly reduce your chances of getting cancer.
In fact, more than 40 percent of cancer cases in this country are linked to controllable risk factors.
Learning about controllable — and uncontrollable — risk factors is the first step in cancer prevention. Take charge of your health today with lifestyle changes that reduce your risk of cancer — and increase your chances of a longer, higher quality life.
Controllable risk factors for cancer
Having risk factors does not mean you will definitely develop cancer; it just means your chances of getting it increase. Knowing them allows you to take steps to reduce those chances. Even making simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference.
Alcohol consumption
Recent research suggests any amount of alcohol can increase your risk for several cancers — including mouth, throat, liver, colon and breast cancers — and there is no safe level of drinking. And, of note, all types of alcohol increase cancer risk.
However, for healthy adults who choose to drink, the American Cancer Society recommends drinking in moderation to reduce your risk. That equates to no more than one standard drink a day for women (or no more than 7 in a week) and no more than two standard drinks a day for men (or no more than 14 per week).
Poor diet
Diets high in processed foods, saturated fats, sugar and sodium increase the risk of cancer. They also contribute to obesity, diabetes and other health conditions that are associated with cancer risk factors.
Instead, it’s important to eat a balanced diet that includes lean meats, a variety of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains to reduce your cancer risk. A varied diet offers a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants your body needs to function at its best and fight disease.
Sedentary lifestyle
Exercising dramatically reduces your risk for cancer — and it doesn’t have to be rigorous. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise (brisk walking, bicycling, water aerobics, tennis, gardening), plus muscle-strengthening exercises, at least two days each week.
Obesity
Obesity is a leading cause of many cancers. In fact, obesity is associated with a higher risk of getting 13 types of cancer, such as breast, colon, liver, kidney, pancreatic and thyroid cancers. Obesity causes chronic inflammation in the body, which can damage DNA in cells. Plus, excess fat cells can produce more of the hormones estrogen and insulin, which can stimulate cancer growth.
Lower your risk by maintaining a healthy weight. Stick to a healthy diet by choosing foods high in fiber that are lower in fat and calories, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and getting regular physical activity.
Tobacco use
Not only does smoking increase the risk of lung cancer, but also many other cancers throughout the body. Cigarettes and cigars contain more than 70 chemicals that damage DNA in cells and can cause cancer. It’s not just if you smoke, either. Chronic exposure to secondhand smoke also increases your risk for lung cancer and others, too.
No matter how long you’ve smoked, quitting — or never starting — can reduce your risk. It’s never too late to quit smoking. Help is available by calling 1-800-Quit-Now.
Certain viral infections
Getting certain viral infections can increase your chances of developing cancer. For example, Hepatitis B can raise your risk of getting liver cancer and HPV, or the human papillomavirus, can cause cervical and other genital cancers.
Hepatitis B and HPV are sexually transmitted diseases, and people who don’t practice safe sex or have multiple partners are at an increased risk of infection.
Talk to your primary care provider about getting vaccinated to help prevent these infections.
Environmental exposure
Toxins in our environmental surroundings at home, in the workplace, and in our food and water can increase the risk of cancer. For example, harmful chemicals and substances at work, asbestos found in older homes and industrial buildings, pollution, pesticides, fertilizers and others have been associated with cancer.
While there is some acceptable exposure, there are steps you can take to help limit it to reduce your cancer risk, such as:
• Improving air ventilation in your home
• Buying organic fruits and vegetables, a diet less likely to contain pesticide residues
• Wearing protective equipment at work
• Taking your shoes off in the house, limiting the transfer of chemicals/toxins
In addition, excess exposure to UV rays from the sun, sunlamps or tanning beds can cause skin damage and increase your risk for skin cancer. Taking precautions to limit exposure, such as applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen, wearing a hat and sunglasses, and avoiding tanning booths, can help decrease your risk.
Uncontrollable risk factors for cancer
There are risk factors that increase your chances of developing cancer that you can’t control. However, understanding these risk factors can help you and your doctor find ways to reduce your risks, schedule earlier or more frequent screenings, or even try preemptive treatment.
Uncontrollable risk factors for cancer include:
• Age: Your risk increases as you age. While cancer can occur at any age, the median age for a cancer diagnosis is between 65 and 74, depending on the cancer type.
• Family history: Some gene changes that increase the risk of cancer are passed down from relatives. For example, suppose you have a close family member with cancer. In that case, you are more likely to develop that disease yourself, especially if more than one close relative has — or had — the disease or if a family member got it at a younger age than usual.
• Gender and ethnicity: Certain cancers are more prevalent in one sex or specific ethnic group than others. For example, breast cancer is more common in women, and colon cancer is more common in men. And African American men are more likely to get prostate cancer than white men and white women have higher incidences of breast cancer than African American women.
What else can I do to lower my cancer risk?
Being proactive about your health can reduce your chances of getting cancer.Get regular cancer screenings
Regular cancer screenings increase your chance of detecting certain cancers early when they are most likely to be curable. Screening tests are used to find cancer before a person experiences any symptoms. If pre-cancers or cancers are found, doctors can treat them early before they have a chance to spread.The American Cancer Society supports early screening tests for breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate and lung cancers based on recommendations for your age, sex and ethnicity. Talk to your doctor about which screening tests are right for you.
Know your family medical history
Understanding your family’s medical history may be the strongest influence on knowing your risk of developing hereditary conditions and diseases, including cancer. It offers you and your doctor clues about where you might have a higher risk than the general population.Certain screenings, such as mammograms or a colonoscopy, may be recommended at an earlier age or more frequently if your family history points to a higher risk for certain cancers. Genetic testing also may be recommended.
Get to know your PCP well
Regular appointments and building a strong relationship with your primary care provider, or PCP, is vital to being proactive in your health. Think of your PCP as your partner in becoming your healthiest self.Your PCP’s job is to focus on your vitals, such as weight, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, to assess your health. Based on your measurements, age, gender, family history and lifestyle, your PCP may recommend lifestyle changes to decrease your risk of certain cancers or any necessary preventive tests.
Fortunately, most cancers can be prevented. Take the necessary steps to reduce your risks today.
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