More than 1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime.
Not all cancers can be prevented but there are things you can do to reduce your risk of developing cancer.
To lower your chance of developing cancer:
- do not smoke
- manage your weight
- take part in vaccination programmes and cancer screening
- limit alcohol
- protect your skin from the sun and do not use sunbeds
- reduce your risk of radon in your home
- eat well
- talk to your GP about your hormonal therapy
- be active
- follow health and safety rules at work to avoid cancer-causing substances
- breastfeed if you can
If you have a cancer diagnosis talk to your care team about what is right for you.
Do not smoke
Smoking increases your risk of at least 15 types of cancer.
Do not start smoking.
If you smoke, get help to quit. You will reduce your risk of cancer, even if you smoked for a long time.
It can be hard to make a change like this. But, it is possible and there are a lot of free supports available.
Avoid second-hand smoke
Second-hand smoke (when other people smoke, and you breathe in the smoke) also increases your cancer risk.
Keep your home, car and workplace smoke free.
Eat well
Good eating habits and eating a wide variety of nourishing foods can reduce your risk of cancer. Eating well also helps you manage your weight.
To lower your risk of cancer:
- eat foods high in fibre such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses
- limit sugar sweetened drinks
- avoid processed foods high in fat, starches or sugars
Avoid processed meat and limit red meat to no more than 3 portions a week to lower your risk of bowel cancer.
Stay active
Physical activity can reduce your risk of some types of cancer, such as breast, bowel and womb cancer.
Being active helps:
- keep your hormones at a healthy level
- you manage your weight
Try to be physically active in your everyday life. Even a few minutes of movement a day can help. Your mood will improve and you will feel well.
Fit physical activity into your day
Manage your weight
Carrying excess weight or living with obesity can increase your risk of some cancers. These include mouth, ovarian, stomach and bowel cancer.
Excess weight can affect your hormone levels and your immune system. This can increase your risk of cancer.
There are things you can do to help you manage your weight.
Do
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eat well
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keep physically active
Talk to your GP about managing your weight or treating obesity.
Ask them about any support services available.
Limit alcohol
Alcohol increases your risk of at least 7 types of cancer. These include mouth, throat, larynx, oesophagus, breast, stomach and bowel cancer.
When alcohol is broken down in your body it can damage your body’s cells. This can increase your risk of cancer.
If you choose to drink alcohol, limit the amount you drink. The less you drink, the lower your risk of cancer.
Drink within low-risk alcohol guidelines
Protect your skin from the sun and sunbeds
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and sunbeds can damage skin and increase your risk of skin cancer.
To reduce your risk of getting skin cancer:
- protect your skin from the sun
- never use a sunbed
Who is at risk of skin cancer
Anyone can get skin cancer so everyone needs to protect their skin from UV light. But some people are more at risk than others.
You may be at higher risk if you:
- have fair skin
- work outdoors
- do outdoor sport and activities
Children and adolescents are also more at risk.
How to protect your skin
Follow the SunSmart 5S rule: slip, slop, slap, seek and slide
- Slip on clothes that cover your skin, such as long sleeves and t-shirts with a collar.
- Slop on sunscreen on skin that is not covered, using factor 30+ for adults, 50+ for children and reapply regularly.
- Slap on a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face, ears and neck.
- Seek shade especially if outdoors between 11am and 3pm and always use a sunshade on a child’s buggy.
- Slide on wraparound sunglasses with UV protection to protect your eyes.
Don't
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do not use sunbeds
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do not try to get a suntan
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do not get sunburnt
Check the UV index
The UV index tells you how strong the sun’s UV rays are each day.
You need to protect your skin when the UV index is 3 or above.
In Ireland, the UV index is usually 3 or above from April to September, even when it is cloudy. UV is usually strongest between 11am and 3pm.
Check the UV index on Met Éireann
How to prevent sunburn in children
Take part in cancer screening
Reduce your risk of cancer by taking part in free cancer screening programmes.
These can either find:
- abnormal cell changes before symptoms develop
- signs of cancer at an early stage
In Ireland, the cancer screening programmes are:
Non-urgent advice: Always see a GP if:
- you have symptoms of cancer at any age
Do this even if you recently had cancer screening or a negative screening result.
Do not wait to have a screening test.
Get vaccinations
Some cancers are caused by viruses.
There are vaccinations that can protect against these.
Make sure your children take part in vaccination programmes for:
- hepatitis B - for newborns
- human papillomavirus (HPV) - for first year students in secondary school
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can cause liver cancer.
The hepatitis B vaccine is part of the routine immunisation programme for children.
HPV
HPV can cause a range of cancers including cervical, penile, anal, mouth and throat cancer.
The HPV vaccine protects against the main HPV strains that are related to cancer. But it does not protect you from all types of HPV - there are many types of HPV.
The HPV vaccine is offered to:
- first year students in secondary school
- men who have sex with men and people more at risk of HPV
You are still at risk of developing cervical cancer if you have had the HPV vaccine. This is why cervical screening is important.
Warning
You are still at risk of developing cervical cancer if you have had the HPV vaccine. This is why cervical screening is important.
Follow health and safety rules at work
You may be exposed to cancer-causing substances in your workplace. These may include benzene, silica dust, asbestos and wood dust.
Follow your workplace safety regulations and advice to reduce your risk of cancer.
If you work outdoors protect your skin from the sun.
Reduce your radon risk
Radon is a radioactive gas in the air that can cause lung cancer. You are at risk of lung cancer if you are exposed to radon over a long time. Your risk is higher if you smoke.
To protect yourself from radon:
- test the radon level in your home or workplace
- take action to reduce the radon level if it is high
- get help to quit smoking
Test your radon levels and check the radon risk map - epa.ie
Breastfeed, if you can
If you breastfeed your baby this will reduce your risk of breast cancer. Breastfeeding lowers certain hormones in the body and may also protect cells in the breast from changes.
The longer you breastfeed, the more protected you are. Consider breastfeeding, if it is an option for you.
Talk about hormone treatments
The combined oral contraceptive pill can slightly increase the risk of breast and cervical cancers. But it can decrease the risk of ovarian and womb cancers. Each person’s risk is different.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is used to reduce the symptoms of menopause. Some types of HRT may increase the risk of breast, womb and ovarian cancer, but the increased risk is small.
The benefits of taking HRT or the pill outweigh the risks for many women.
Talk to your GP about the risks and benefits to you.
Spot early signs of cancer
Finding cancer early means you are more likely to survive it.
Cancer can cause changes to how your body normally looks, works or feels.
