What are the Risk Factors of Cancer?

Certain lifestyle habits may affect your risk of developing cancers.

Anything that raises the probability of developing a disease is referred to as a risk factor. Recognising the risk factors of cancer and taking measures to limit your exposure to modifiable risk factors may lower your risk of developing certain cancers.

Unavoidable or unmodifiable risk factors of cancer include ageing and genetic predisposition.

There are also cancer risk factors that can be avoided and are modifiable. These avoidable risk factors have been shown to increase risk of developing cancer. They include certain lifestyle choices or habits such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, obesity, and exposure to certain elements in the environment such as the sun.

Smoking

Did you know that smoking and tobacco use can cause cancer in almost all parts of the body? There are at least 70 cancer-causing chemicals in the smoke produced from tobacco products. These chemicals can cause DNA damage that leads to uncontrollable cell growth and these cells eventually develop into cancer.

Research has shown that cancer risk increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke a day. Smoking and tobacco use causes up to 90% of lung cancer cases. It can also cause:

Research shows that smoking is an important modifiable risk factor for cancer. The risk of developing various types of cancer reduces when you stop smoking. The sooner you stop smoking, the lower your risk of cancer and other diseases. Quitting smoking also allows you to reclaim almost 10 years of your life compared to if you continue to smoke.

Take our Cancer Risk Quiz and find out how to reduce your cancer risk.

Alcohol consumption

The less alcohol you consume, the lower your risk of cancer. Heavy consumption of alcohol is linked to cancers of the oesophageal, oral cavity, nasopharyngeal, liver, colorectal and breast cancer. Hence, alcohol consumption is an important risk factor for cancer which can be prevented.

Alcohol consumption can also lead to other long-term health problems such a liver failure and heart disease. Try cutting down your alcohol consumption, either by drinking in smaller amounts or having more drink-free days.

Take our Cancer Risk Quiz and find out how to reduce your cancer risk.

Being overweight or obese

Individuals who are overweight or obese have an elevated cancer risk compared to those with normal weight. This is because excess body fat may increase inflammation in the body and promote growth of cells and blood vessels through fluctuating levels of hormones and factors.

Losing excess body weight is a good start to reduce your cancer risk. It is reassuring to know that even a small amount of weight loss has many health benefits. Maintaining a healthy weight by making healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of cancer.

Take our Cancer Risk Quiz and find out how to reduce your cancer risk.

Physical inactivity / sedentary lifestyle

According to The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) report, 25% of all cancer cases worldwide are contributed by obesity and physical inactivity.

Keeping active is key to maintaining a healthy weight. It is recommended to engage in 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75-150 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week. It is always better to move more than less, so try to keep moving as much as possible! Moderate or vigorous exercises include brisk walking, swimming, cycling or yoga.

Take our Cancer Risk Quiz and find out how to reduce your cancer risk.

Sun exposure

The majority of skin cancers are caused by excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays, either through exposure to the sun or UV radiation from man-made sources. These radiation wavelengths are strong enough to damage DNAs and cause cancer.

Sunlight is the primary source of UV radiation. There are 3 forms of UV radiation:

UVA rays: UVA rays have the lowest energy of all the UV rays. While UVA rays are linked to long-term skin damage and ageing such as wrinkles, they can also contribute to some skin cancers via indirect DNA damage. Approximately 95% of UV rays that reach the ground are UVA rays.
UVB rays: Compared to UVA rays, UVB rays have slightly more energy. Approximately 5% of UV rays that reach the ground are UVB rays.
UVC rays: Compared to other forms of UV rays, UVC rays have the most energy. Since sunlight's UVC rays do not reach the earth, they rarely provide a risk for developing cancer. However, other sources, such as mercury lamps or UV sanitising bulbs can also produce UVC rays.

Protecting your skin from ultraviolet rays from the sun lowers your risk of skin cancer. When heading out during the day, protect yourself from excessive UV exposure by staying in the shade, covering your skin with clothing, wearing a hat, and using sunscreen regularly. Whenever possible, avoid going out when the UV rays are at its strongest, usually between 10am to 4pm.

Take our Cancer Risk Quiz and find out what you can do to reduce your cancer risk.

Make an appointment at Pantai Hospitals

If you experience any signs and symptoms of cancer or would like to be screened for cancer, get in touch with us to find out more about our Oncology Services at your nearest Pantai Hospital.

A dedicated multidisciplinary team of specialists and oncologists at Pantai Hospitals is available for consultation to provide the best care and assistance to patients through screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

Pantai Hospitals have been accredited by the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) for its commitment to patient safety and service quality.