Know Your Risks
Major cancer risk factors
A risk factor is anything that increases the chance of developing cancer. Some can be changed; others cannot. Understanding both helps you and your family stay alert.
Modifiable risk factors
Tobacco
Smoking and smokeless tobacco strongly raise risk of oral, lung, throat and many other cancers.
Alcohol
Any alcohol increases risk of bowel, mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver and breast cancers — higher still with smoking.
Diet
Diets low in fruit, vegetables and fibre, and high in processed red meat, increase digestive-tract cancer risk.
Body weight
Overweight and obesity raise risk of bowel, breast (post-menopausal), kidney, endometrium and oesophageal cancers.
Inactivity
Little or no physical activity is linked to higher colon and post-menopausal breast cancer risk, among others.
Infections
HPV, hepatitis and other infections can contribute to cervical, liver and related cancers.
Non-modifiable factors
- Age — cancer risk generally rises as we get older
- Family history / inherited gene changes
- Previous cancer diagnosis
- Certain chronic medical conditions
30–60
Minutes of daily physical activity can meaningfully lower cancer risk while improving overall health
You cannot change every risk factor — but you can reduce many of them, and you can get screened even when you feel healthy.