It’s common to sometimes feel confused or overwhelmed by the sheer volume of different cancer prevention messages. What should we be doing – and not doing – to help reduce our risk?
In the second of our two part blog about cancer prevention, we discuss some of the things that probably aren’t going to make any difference to your risk of cancer. See Part 1 for all the positive lifestyle change you can make to help reduce your risk.
Why cancer prevention is so important
In the UK, nearly one thousand people are diagnosed with cancer every day. That’s about 2 people every 3 minutes. Over half of us will develop cancer at some point during our lives.
Research suggests that approximately 42% of new cancers (4 in every 10) could be prevented by making lifestyle changes, like:
There’s lots of evidence to support these changes as a way of reducing our risk of developing cancer.
What probably isn’t going to help reduce your risk
You may have heard of all sorts of other things that some people do or things they avoid because they believe it will help to prevent cancer. But currently there’s little or no proof that any of them will make any difference. Here are a few of them.
Taking vitamin and dietary supplements Lots of different vitamin and mineral supplements have been studied and there’s no proof that any help to prevent cancer. You should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from a well-balanced diet.
Eating super foods There’s also no evidence that a diet rich in so-called “super foods”, such as broccoli or blueberries, will help to prevent cancer. Our bodies are very complex so it’s very unlikely that a type of food will have very much influence on its own. These are good foods to eat – but as part of a well-balanced diet.
Avoiding sugars and artificial sweeteners There’s no evidence to support the claim that cutting sugar from your diet and avoiding sweeteners (such as saccharin) will help to reduce your risk of developing cancer. Too much sugar in your diet isn’t good and may lead to obesity, which is a cancer risk, but you don’t need to cut it out altogether.
Not using a mobile phone There has been a lot of interest in the belief that mobile phones can cause cancer. None of the good research done so far has found any proof that the type of low-energy emitted by a mobile phone can damage our DNA. So, you don’t need to stop or limit how often you use your phone.
Avoiding antiperspirants and deodorants The idea that antiperspirants and deodorants cause breast cancer has been researched quite a bit over the last decade or so. There is currently no evidence that the chemicals in these products cause cancer. It is perfectly safe to use either product.
Is there anything else?
Making positive changes to our lifestyles may help to prevent about 42% of cancers – but what about the other 58%? Is there anything you can do?
We know that the earlier someone is diagnosed with cancer, the easier it is to treat. So it’s important to know what’s normal for your body. That way you are more likely to notice any changes or new symptoms sooner.
If you do have any symptoms you’re concerned about, it’s important to get them checked by your GP, especially if:
Often the symptom will be caused by something else other than cancer. The sooner you see your GP – the sooner you’ll know for sure.
Remember, you can’t always prevent cancer from developing – even people leading a very healthy life may develop cancer. But you can do your best to reduce your risk. And you can know your body and be aware of when you need to see your GP.
There’s information about the symptoms to look for on our website.
To see what else Macmillan's cancer information team has been blogging about, please visit our blog home page! You can subscribe to receive our blogs by email or RSS too.
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The Macmillan team is here to help. Our cancer support specialists can answer your questions, offer support, or simply listen if you need a chat. Call us free on 0808 808 00 00.
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