A Presidential proclamation has designated April as National Cancer Control Month and the public is urged to adopt healthy habits to reduce the risk of cancer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that 1,437,180 new cases of cancer will occur and 565,650 people will die of cancer in the United States in 2008.

The good news is that there has been significant progress in America’s battle with cancer in the last decade. In NCI’s latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, published in November 2008, overall cancer incidence rates decreased 0.8 percent per year from 1999 through 2005. And death rates for all cancers dropped among all racial and ethnic groups and in men and women, except for American Indian/Alaska Native people. Cancer death rates declined for 10 of the top 15 types of cancer. The NCI report also noted that the overall decrease in cancer incidence and death rates was mainly a result of declines in lung, colon/rectum, and prostate cancers among men, decreases of breast cancer and colon/rectum cancers among women, and a leveling off of lung cancer deaths among women.

As part of their cancer awareness efforts, the NCI has provided four personal recommendations for cancer prevention and control:

Quit smoking
If you smoke, quitting smoking is probably the most important thing you can do to reduce your risk of cancer and other serious diseases.  Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Smoking also increases the risk of many other types of cancer, such as cancer of the throat, mouth, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix.

Talk with your doctor about cancer screening
Regular screening for cancer reduces the risk of developing certain cancers and helps detect cancer in its early and most treatable stages. Ask your doctor or other healthcare professional about what cancer screening tests are appropriate for your gender, age, and personal profile. Studies have shown that most Americans know about common screening tests for cancer such as mammograms, Pap smears, and colonoscopies, but few know when they should be conducted.

Improve your diet
Eating a well-balanced healthy diet may reduce your risk of developing cancer and other serious illnesses. A healthy diet includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts. But a healthy diet also avoids foods that are low in overall nutrients (such as candy and soda pop) and limits the intake of Trans and saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium, and may also limits intake of foods with a high glycemic index.

Increase physical activity
Regular physical activity can help reduce your risk of colon, breast, and other cancers. Studies have also shown a link between regular physical activity and reduced risk of prostate, lung, and endometrial cancer. Regular physical activity can also improve your health by helping with weight control; promoting emotional well-being; and reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

To support National Cancer Control Month, Healia has recently made several cancer information resources from NCI available, including cancer information summaries, and directories of cancer organizations and cancer healthcare providers. Other cancer-related information sources include health guides, health quizzes, and cancer-related communities.


_{Photo: TBG, Flickr, Creative Commons}