Reduce your risk of…
Reducing your risk of cancer
Some links on this page have been colour coded to make it easier to find the information you need:
Cancer becomes increasingly common as we become older. “There were 375,000 cases of cancer in 2016-2018 in the UK.”
“Cancer Statistics for the UK.” Cancer Research UK website. Retrieved 23rd February 2023
The good news is that the survival rate has been going up in the last few decades. Even better is that nearly 30 to 50% of cancers are preventable by making some lifestyle changes.
Much of prevention of cancer can be done without ever needing to attend a GP practice, with local self-referral offering to support you reduce your risk of cancer. This is explained further in the questions below. Some screening occurs at your GP practice but most occurs outside in national programmes. There is a link to more information on screening throughout your life. Spotting cancer early is very beneficial in treatment and there is a link to help you do this.
COMMON CAUSES
From Cancer Research UK
Causes of cancer (includes preventable causes) Causes of Cancer | Cancer Research UK
your OWN RISK AND WHAT LIFESTYLE CHANGES you CAN MAKE
“Between 30–50% of all cancer cases are preventable. Prevention offers the most cost-effective long-term strategy for the control of cancer.”
“Preventing cancer.” World Health Organisation website. Retrieved 25th January 2024
From Cancer Research UK
Can cancer be prevented? Can cancer be prevented? | Cancer Research UK
From Macmillan Cancer Support
Causes and risk factors (Lifestyle risk factors and reducing your risk) Causes and risk factors – Macmillan Cancer Support
From the National Cancer Institute
Cancer Prevention Overview – Patient Version Cancer Prevention Overview (PDQ®)–Patient Version – National Cancer Institute
Short Questionnaire
Cancer Research UK provide a short questionnaire which provides you with some personal feedback and recommendations to help you reduce your risk
Can I reduce my cancer risk? Can I reduce my cancer risk? | Cancer Research UK
Self referral to local support
In addition to the self-care advice from the cancer research UK questionnaire above there is excellent local support to support lifestyle changes in reducing your risk of cancer. See under:
LOWERING THE RISK OF SKIN CANCER
From the NHS
- Keeping your baby safe in the sun Keeping your baby safe in the sun – NHS
- Sunscreen and sun safety Sunscreen and sun safety – NHS
From Patient info
- Preventing Skin Cancer Preventing Skin Cancer | Sun Protection | Patient
- Sun and Sunburn Sunburn | How to Treat Sunburn | Sun Risks | Patient
From the British Association of Dermatologists and the British Skin Foundation
Sun awareness and safety
From Dermnet NZ
- How to choose and use a sunscreen How to choose and use sunscreens | DermNet NZ
- Clothes count Clothes count. About melanoma | DermNet NZ
- Ban the tan! Ban the tan! About melanoma | DermNet NZ
- Skin cancer: What causes skin cancer (includes causes other than ultraviolet light (sun exposure)) Skin cancer | DermNet NZ
From Cancer Research UK
How do sunbeds cause skin cancer? How do sunbeds cause skin cancer? | Cancer Research UK
SPOTTING SKIN CANCER
See the section “Skin cancer”, for information on how an early diagnosis of skin cancer can be made, under
SCREENING
From Cancer Research UK
Screening can save lives by finding cancers at an early stage, or even preventing them.
Screening for cancer Screening for cancer | Cancer Research UK
More detailed information on screening is available under
SPOTTING CANCER EARLY
Diagnosing cancer early can very much help in the treatment of cancer. Awareness of symptoms and signs which might indicate cancer are worth knowing about.
Information on some of the key symptoms and signs which may indicate an assessment by a GP is required to exclude cancer can be found under
Further information on cancer
Further information on cancer can be found under:
Videos and podcasts
On the videos and podcasts page there are links to some relevant videos and podcasts covering the topic of reducing your risk of cancer.
- Videos And Podcasts – see section “wellbeing and disease prevention”.
