Cancer Risk and Prevention
There's no sure way to prevent cancer, but you can help reduce your risk by making healthy choices like eating right, staying active, and not smoking.
Learn about Cancer Causes
Understanding the Causes of Cancer
Find out what we know about the factors that can affect your cancer risk.
Genetics and Cancer Risk
Some types of cancer run in certain families, but most cancers are not clearly linked to the genes we inherit from our parents. Gene changes that start in a single cell over the course of a person's life cause most cancers.
Excess Body Weight and Cancer Risk
Being overweight or obese can have far-reaching health consequences, including raising your risk for certain types of cancer. Learn more about the link between excess body weight and cancer here.
How to Lower Your Risk
More in Risk and Prevention
Radiation Exposure and Cancer Risk
Exposure to radiation can increase the risk of cancer. Learn more about the different types of radiation and how exposure might affect your cancer risk.
Chemicals and Cancer
Get the facts about these known, possible, and unlikely environmental causes of cancer.
Infectious Agents
In the United States and other developed countries, a small portion of cancers are thought to be linked to infections. Learn more here.
Medical Treatments that Might Affect Cancer Risk
Some types of tests and treatments may actually increase a person's risk of developing cancer. Get the facts about possible links between certain medical procedures and cancer.
