Cancer Prevention Guidelines
The American Cancer Society recommends maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activity, consuming a plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding tobacco products as the core strategies to reduce cancer risk. 1 These evidence-based guidelines focus on modifiable lifestyle factors that can significantly impact cancer morbidity and mortality.
Individual Recommendations for Cancer Prevention
1. Maintain a Healthy Weight Throughout Life
- Balance caloric intake with physical activity 2
- Avoid excessive weight gain throughout the life cycle 2
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight if currently overweight or obese 2
- Obesity significantly increases cancer mortality risk - obese women have up to 55% greater cancer mortality and obese men have up to 33% greater cancer mortality 1, 2
- Weight control is particularly important for preventing postmenopausal breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and kidney cancer 1
2. Adopt a Physically Active Lifestyle
- Adults: Engage in at least 30-45 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on 5 or more days per week 2, 1
- Children and adolescents: Engage in at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days per week 2
- Physical activity helps prevent colon, breast, kidney, endometrial, and esophageal cancers 1
- Physical activity accelerates food movement through the intestine (reducing exposure to mutagens) and decreases exposure of breast tissue to circulating estrogen 1
3. Consume a Healthy Diet with Emphasis on Plant Sources
- Eat at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits each day 2, 1
- Choose whole grains over processed (refined) grains and sugars 2
- Limit consumption of red meats, especially high-fat and processed meats 2, 1
- Reduce total fat intake to 30% or less of total calorie intake 1
- Limit consumption of salt-cured, smoked, and nitrite-preserved foods 1
- Focus on obtaining nutrients through whole foods rather than supplements 1
4. Limit or Avoid Alcohol Consumption
- If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit consumption 2
- Alcohol is an established cause of cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, and breast 1
- Risk increases substantially with more than two drinks per day 1
5. Avoid Tobacco Products
- Tobacco exposure is a primary risk factor for cancer, causing approximately one-third of cancer deaths 1
- Avoiding tobacco is one of the most effective cancer prevention strategies 2, 1
Community Action Recommendation
The American Cancer Society also emphasizes the importance of community action to support individual choices:
- Public, private, and community organizations should work together to create social and physical environments that support healthy food choices and physical activity 2
- Community efforts are essential to create a social environment that promotes healthy behaviors 2
Cancer Prevention Impact
Evidence suggests that approximately one-third of the more than 500,000 cancer deaths that occur in the United States each year can be attributed to diet and physical activity habits, including overweight and obesity, while another third is due to tobacco exposure 2. Recent expert reports estimate that successful lifestyle changes could prevent 25% to 30% of cases of breast cancer 3.
Special Considerations
For high-risk populations, additional preventive measures may be appropriate, such as:
- Selective estrogen receptor modulators for breast cancer prevention
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin) for colorectal cancer prevention
- Vaccines for infection-related cancers (HPV, hepatitis B) 4
Aspirin has the strongest evidence base for chemoprevention, particularly for individuals with a history of adenomas or certain genetic syndromes 1
By following these comprehensive guidelines, individuals can significantly reduce their cancer risk while also decreasing their risk of other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.