Cancer Prevention Works: Promoting the Power of Prevention

February 2020

National Cancer Prevention Month – Take Action to Reduce Your Cancer Risk

February is National Cancer Prevention Month! CDC is dedicated to raising awareness about cancer and helping you stay healthy. Many cancers can be prevented and there are actions you can take that lower the risk of getting cancer. You can lower your risk for many kinds of cancer by quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular physical activity. Other actions you can take to lower your risk of cancer include limiting the amount of alcohol you drink, protecting your skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays, and getting recommended cancer screenings and vaccinations (HPV vaccine and Hepatitis B vaccine).

Simple tips like setting small goals and celebrating your progress each day can help you stay on track with healthy choices that reduce your cancer risk. Check out our podcasts and learn more about healthy behaviors to help prevent cancer.

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New Report on Smoking Cessation Released by the Surgeon General

The U.S. Surgeon General has released a new report that shows the latest evidence on the importance of quitting smoking to improve health. Thirty years after the first Surgeon General’s report on smoking cessation, this report finds that more than two-thirds of U.S. adult cigarette smokers reported an interest in quitting smoking. Nearly 34 million American adults currently smoke cigarettes. Among adult cigarette smokers, past-year quit attempts and recent and longer-term cessation has increased over the past twenty years.

While cigarette smoking among adults is at an all-time low at 14%, it is still the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in the body. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of many negative health effects, including numerous cancers.

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Cervical Cancer Prevention: Past, Present, and Moving Forward

Cervical cancer can be prevented, and this is largely due to improvements in screening tests and the development of a vaccine. Dr. Elizabeth Unger, Chief of the Chronic Viral Diseases Branch in CDC’s Division of High-Consequence Pathogens shares how the science of cervical cancer screening has changed over the years starting with a focus on early detection and leading to research showing the connection between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer.

Dr. Maureen Miller, Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, highlights the HPV vaccine as a worldwide prevention strategy and discusses how the improved quality of HPV testing has made it easier to screen more women.

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What to Know About Dense Breasts and Breast Cancer Risk

A woman’s risk for breast cancer is due to a combination of several factors. One of the factors is having dense breasts. Women with dense breasts have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. About half of women who are 40 years old or older have dense breasts. Breast density refers to the amount of fibrous and glandular tissue in a woman’s breasts compared to the amount of fatty tissue in the breasts. On a mammogram, dense breast tissue and a possible tumor can both appear white, and it’s hard to tell the difference between the two. More imaging tests are sometimes recommended for women with dense breasts.

Knowing how breast density can affect your personal risk for breast cancer shows the importance of staying up-to-date on screenings. Talk with your doctor about which breast cancer screening tests are right for you and when you should have them.

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New Blog Post Shares a Cancer Survivor's Perspective

"There was never a moment that I wasn’t keenly aware of the danger of infection and what it would mean for me if I got an infection. I worked hard to avoid it." In a new blog post, cancer survivor Ronda McCaul Walker, reminds us how important it is to stay positive and take care of your health, particularly during chemotherapy treatment. Chemotherapy can reduce the number of white blood cells you have, which can lead to infections, treatment delays, hospitalization, and sometimes even death. Based on CDC data, about 650,000 cancer patients receive chemotherapy in an outpatient oncology clinic in the United States each year and more than 100,000 are hospitalized because of this side effect. Ronda’s candid reflection on her cancer journey provides tips on how she avoided getting an infection during chemo and takes us back to one dreary Valentine’s Day when a surprise box of chocolate covered strawberries appeared on her doorstep and provided her with exactly what she needed.

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Research Spotlight

Breast and Colorectal Cancer Recurrence and Progression Captured by Five U.S. Population-Based Registries: Findings from National Program of Cancer Registries Patient-Centered Outcome Research looks at the ability to capture disease-free (DF) status and cancer outcomes of patients diagnosed with breast and colorectal cancer.

Did You Know? Screening means checking your body for cancer before you have symptoms. Getting screening tests regularly can find abnormal cell changes or growths before they turn into cancer or find cancer early, when treatment is likely to work best. Overweight and obesity can cause changes in the body that lead to cancer, such as increases in levels or certain hormones and inflammation. Keeping a healthy weight can lower your risk of getting cancer.