Cancer Prevention: 5 Tips to Help Reduce Your Risk

February is National Cancer Prevention Awareness Month, a great time to make sure you and your loved ones are taking steps to maintain good health now and year-round. Here are 5 tips you can start practicing today:

1. Follow a healthy diet & exercise routine.

Eating nutritious foods and getting daily exercise are proactive ways to help keep cancer at bay. A healthy diet and regular exercise program can also help you feel better and maintain good overall health. 

Here are a few tips to get started: 

• Eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. These foods are loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber. All these things play a key role in promoting a healthy lifestyle.
• Limit your intake of red meats, such as beef, pork, and lamb. Eating no more than 12-18 ounces per week helps prevent the onset of colorectal cancer.
• Maintain a healthy weight for your height and lifestyle. Talk with your health care provider about the right weight range for you.
• Follow recommended guidelines for physical activity: At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity) per week.1 

Stick to your exercise plan by establishing a support system and setting realistic goals. Talk with your healthcare provider about what types of exercise are best for your individual needs.

2. Do not smoke or use tobacco products.

Smoking harms the lungs and may lead to cancer. People who smoke more cigarettes or smoke for more years have a higher risk of developing lung cancer. Smoking and tobacco use can also lead to cancers of the mouth, throat, and larynx. 

Less common cancers caused by smoking and tobacco use include bladder, esophagus, and kidney. Smoking also exposes your loved ones to second-hand smoke. People who have regular exposure to second-hand smoke also have a high risk of developing lung cancer.

Quitting smoking helps decrease your risk of cancer. For example, 2-5 years after quitting smoking, the risk of developing mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder cancer is cut in half. And 10 years after quitting, the risk of pancreas and kidney cancer is cut in half.2

3. Take advantage of available cancer screenings.

Getting regular cancer screenings can provide peace of mind if you are cancer-free. Screenings also can detect some cancers in their early stages, when they may be more easily treated. Certain cancer screenings are available depending on your age, gender, family history, and lifestyle habits, such as tobacco use. 

Routine cancer screenings are currently available for:

• Breast cancer
• Cervical cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Lung cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Skin cancer

Talk to your primary care provider to see which cancer screenings you are eligible for and when. Review our roundup of cancer screenings and self-exams to help you talk with your doctor about your individual screening needs.

“I had no signs, no symptoms. The only way my cancer was found was because of a mammogram. … It was an invasive cancer that was growing at a very quick rate. … I am grateful that I was able to have a mammogram and catch it quickly and get into my treatment quickly. And right now, I am cancer-free.”

— Jennifer

4. Limit exposure to sunlight and radiation.

Exposure to radiation, including sunlight, can lead to the development of different types of cancer. Frequent unprotected exposure can lead to skin cancer. When you are in the sunlight for extended periods of time, use sunscreen and wear a wide-brim hat and a long-sleeve shirt. 

A less common source of radiation is radon, which can be found in your home and can cause lung cancer. Some everyday sources of radiation such as microwaves and cell phones do not increase the risk of cancer. 

Check Your Sun Safety Knowledge With This Derm Expert

5. Abstain from drinking alcohol, or drink it in moderation.

For cancer prevention, it’s best not to drink alcohol. Alcohol in any form — beer, wine, or liquor — has been linked to 7 different cancers. These cancers include liver, colorectal, mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, and breast. 

People who choose to consume alcohol should limit these beverages to no more than 1 drink per day for a woman and 2 drinks per day for a man. Additionally, studies have found that the reduction in cancer risk is not immediate after stopping alcohol consumption, but the risk eventually declines.3

Here are 4 ways alcohol can increase the risk of cancer, as shared by the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General:*

1. Alcohol breaks down into acetaldehyde, which damages DNA. 
2. Alcohol induces oxidative stress. This can damage DNA, proteins, and cells and increase inflammation.
3. Alcohol alters levels of multiple hormones, including estrogen (which can increase breast cancer risk).
4. Alcohol leads to greater absorption of carcinogens.
    

*View the graphic: Four Ways Alcohol Can Cause Cancer, Office of the U.S. Surgeon General

Note

In January 2025, the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General released a new advisory that describes the links between alcohol consumption and increased risk of certain cancers, based on scientific evidence. The advisory also calls for adding cancer warning labels on alcohol beverages to increase awareness. View the advisory.

While healthy lifestyle choices can’t guarantee cancer prevention, they can help lower the risk of getting cancer. Staying informed, such as understanding risk factors, is a key step in cancer awareness and prevention. 

Here are a few resources to help you learn more about cancer:

• Learn about testing for inherited cancers. About 5% to 10% of all cancer cases occur in someone who inherited a genetic mutation that increases cancer risk.
• Get details about specific cancer types. Learn about risk factors, signs and symptoms, treatments, and more.
• View our collection of videos on a variety of cancer-related topics. Enhance your knowledge, health, and well-being from the comfort of your computer. 

• 1

  U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity Basics – Adult Activity: An Overview. December 20, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html

• 2

  American Cancer Society. Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking Over Time. Last updated: October 28, 2024. https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/benefits-of-quitting-smoking-over-time.html

• 3

  National Cancer Institute. Alcohol and Cancer Risk. Updated: July 14, 2021. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/alcohol/alcohol-fact-sheet