|
GENERAL
CANCER PREVENTION
Most cancers are thought to be related to lifestyle or environmental factors,
and large numbers undoubtedly could be prevented by judicious changes
in personal habits or avoidance of exposure to environmental carcinogens.
Research constantly reveals new facts about cancer's causes, and as we
learn the biological processes involve the potential for preventing cancer
increases substantially.
Unless a definite cause has been identified for a particular type of cancer,
little can be done to prevent it. Identification of risk factors and increased
surveillance for those at risk may lead to earlier diagnosis and prompt
treatment.
The best means of reducing cancer risk is to avoid unnecessary exposure
to known cancer-causing agents. Some preventive strategies are applicable
to more than one type of cancer, as well as to other life-threatening
conditions such as heart disease.
PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES
Avoid smoking and tobacco products. The most effective step anyone
can take in preventing premature death from many causes is to stop smoking,
or better still, never start.
Adopt and maintain a healthy diet. A diet including abundant fresh
fruits and vegetables, grains, and legumes provides fibre and antioxidant
vitamins. Switching to low-fat foods may forestall some forms of cancer.
Avoid workplace and other environmental exposures. Protecting workers
and the public at large from carcinogenic substances at a less than prohibitive
cost has become a major social and economic challenge. Passage of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act and creation of the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 1970 formalized the government's role in
protecting workers from occupational hazards. The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is charged with minimizing the presence of harmful environmental
pollutants. Although these governmental agencies are constantly attacked
for excess stringency or laxness, they represent the basic framework for
reduction of environmental and occupational hazards.
Avoid or limit radiation exposure. Radiation's potential benefits
must always be weighed against possible risks. Routine chest x-rays are
no longer recommended as part of an annual physical exam without clear
indications of their benefit. Radiation therapy is no longer used for
relatively benign conditions such as acne or tonsillitis because of the
increased risk of cancer. In addition, radiation dosage administered by
modern x-ray machines has been reduced markedly.
Avoid unprotected sun exposure. Ultraviolet light, which causes
cellular damage, is the most common cause of skin cancer. A commonsense
approach to sun exposure can prevent most cases of this potentially disfiguring
cancer. People with fair skin should be particularly careful to limit
their sun exposure. Although most skin cancers are not life threatening,
the increase in malignant melanoma, a potentially lethal condition, is
thought to be due to increases in sun exposure.
Avoid unsafe sexual practices. Because of the role of sexually
transmitted diseases in the development of some types of cancer, condom
use, avoiding the exchange of bodily fluids, and maintaining mutually
monogamous sexual relationships are prudent preventive measures.
|
|
|
|