Your Questions About Reducing Cancer Risk, Answered

The modifiable factors associated with lower cancer risk.

Key takeaways

• Largest single preventable cause: smoking
• Also significant: excess weight, alcohol, UV exposure, low fibre, processed meat
• Most useful single change: Stop smoking; nothing else comes close.
• Commonest mistake: Sunbeds, in any amount.
• See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.

What is Reducing Cancer Risk?

The modifiable factors associated with lower cancer risk.

Why does it matter?

A substantial share of UK cancers are attributed to factors that can be changed, and smoking dominates the list.

Largest single preventable cause for Reducing Cancer Risk?

Smoking.

Also significant for Reducing Cancer Risk?

Excess weight, alcohol, UV exposure, low fibre, processed meat.

Physical activity for Reducing Cancer Risk?

150 minutes moderate a week.

HPV vaccination for Reducing Cancer Risk?

Prevents almost all cervical cancer.

What is the single most useful thing to do?

Stop smoking; nothing else comes close.

What is the most common mistake?

Sunbeds, in any amount.

When should I see a doctor?

Report any persistent unexplained symptom to a GP rather than relying on prevention. See a GP promptly for unexplained weight loss, a new lump, a cough lasting more than three weeks, blood in urine or stool, or a changing mole.

Where to go next

• Reducing Cancer Risk: The Practical To-Do List
• What People Get Wrong About Reducing Cancer Risk
• Reducing Cancer Risk — the reference entry
• Skin Cancer: What Published Guidance Supports
• Bowel Cancer: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise

When to speak to a doctor

Report any persistent unexplained symptom to a GP rather than relying on prevention. See a GP promptly for unexplained weight loss, a new lump, a cough lasting more than three weeks, blood in urine or stool, or a changing mole.

Where this comes from

• Cancer Research UK — preventable cancers
• World Cancer Research Fund — cancer prevention recommendations

How this page was put together

Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.

Medical disclaimer

This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.