Although there are several other months during the year that are dedicated to the awareness of various types of cancer, National Cancer Control Month is a great time to look deeper into ways to prevent cancer and its treatment complications. The goal of National Cancer Control Month is for Americans to lead healthy and productive lives, whether or not they’ve been through cancer.
Eight Most Preventable Cancers
According to the American Cancer Society, one third of American women and half of American men will be diagnosed with some form of cancer over the course of their lives. Only five to ten percent of cancer cases, however, are directly attributed to a genetic source. Of course, some non-genetic factors are outside of our control: chemical exposure, second-hand smoke, carcinogens in the workplace, and so on. But there are still a great many things we can do to limit our cancer risks – eat right, exercise, use sun protection, get regular checkups, avoid known carcinogens (cigarettes and pollution) – and the first among them is the easiest: be informed.