It is difficult to say who will get cancer and who will not. Some people live happily without any problems until old age. Others abide by the health rules, but still get sick.
Does that mean you can’t do anything to prevent cancer? Certainly! There are a number of risk factors that (significantly) increase the risk of cancer. And in many cases you can exercise control.
To smoke
Smoking is one of the main risk factors for developing cancer. One third of all cancers are caused by it. Smoking isn’t just linked to lung cancer. It can also cause other types, such as esophageal, kidney and uterine cancer.
Incidentally, the increased risk of the dreaded disease does not only apply to smokers, but also to second-hand smokers. 200 second-hand smokers die of lung cancer every year. Stopping smoking also helps your environment! Are you unable to do it alone? Then don’t be ashamed and ask for help.
sun wise
Were you often sunburnt and exposed to the sun as a child? Then there seems to be an increased risk of developing skin cancer. People with a so-called ‘Celtic gene’ (red/blonde hair and light skin) are even more vulnerable.
Nevertheless, good sun protection is important for everyone. This means, for example, that you apply yourself thoroughly and wear protective clothing. On hot days, seek shade between 12 noon and 3 a.m. It is also a myth that you should sunbathe to get vitamin D. Being outside and eating healthy are also sufficient.
move enough
Exercise is not necessary to prevent cancer, but sufficient exercise does help. In particular, it reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer. This is probably due to the effect that exercise has on certain (tumor-stimulating) hormones. Moving is really as easy as it seems. Cycling, walking, cleaning the house more often… And that only for half an hour a day. That should be doable.
Healthy weight
Almost 50 percent of people in the Netherlands weigh too much. Extra pounds have an effect on your condition, blood pressure and the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Apart from that, being overweight increases the risk of various types of cancer, including breast cancer in women and colon cancer in men. A responsible diet and exercise pattern can significantly reduce the risk of obesity (and therefore cancer).
Healthy food
A healthy diet can reduce the risk of cancer. For example, eat enough vegetables, fruit and carbohydrates (including pasta, potatoes and bread). Fruit and vegetables have a particularly protective effect against esophageal and stomach cancer. Also watch out for fat. Fat itself is not a direct cause of cancer, but it can of course lead to obesity.
Moderate with alcohol
Alcohol appears to protect against cardiovascular disease when consumed in moderation. A little too enthusiastic with the bottle and the protective factor turns into a risk factor. What’s too excited?
* 3 units per day for men
* 2 units per day for women
*daily drink
Alcohol can lead to several types of cancer, including liver, breast and esophageal cancer. If you drink a lot of alcohol and smoke a lot, the risk is even greater.
Viruses and bacteria
The risk factor viruses and bacteria may be less known than the other factors, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Viruses and bacteria can indeed lead to cancers. For example, the HIV virus can expose you to an overall increased risk. Hepatitis B increases the risk of liver cancer.
The causes for gastric mucosal and uterine cancer are in some cases also viruses. The latter condition can be caused by sexually transmitted viruses. So also with a view to cancer, safe sex is wise advice!
Healthy work environment
A number of occupations are known to pose a risk for so-called ‘occupational cancers’. This concerns the following sectors: the chemical industry (liver cancer), the dye industry (bladder cancer), tar production and processing (skin cancer), asbestos mining (lung and pleural cancer), oil refineries (leukemia) and the metal industry (lung and nasal cancer). If you have any questions about your work and your health, please don’t hesitate to ask your doctor.
Sex Hormones and Contraception
Some contraceptives and hormone preparations for menopause have an influence on cancer. Hormone preparations increase the risk of breast cancer the longer they are used. The influence of the pill is not really clear.
For example, it seems to slightly increase the risk of breast cancer, but to reduce the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. If you as a woman have it in your hand: protective factors against breast cancer are pregnancy at a younger age and breast-feeding.
Heredity
Sometimes the predisposition for a disease is in ourselves, in other words, the genes. This also applies to certain types of cancer. However, the number of cancers attributable to inheritance is very much in the minority (5 percent).
Types that can be passed down within families include breast cancer, skin cancer, colon cancer, and ovarian cancer. Inheritable cancers often manifest themselves earlier than non-hereditary cancers (
