A lot of people in my family died from cancer. What should I avoid so that I don't get cancer too?

You can't change your family history, but you can protect yourself by staying away from known risk factors whenever you can.

• Tobacco -- Don't use tobacco products and avoid being around tobacco smoke.
• Sunlight -- Don't spend too much time in the sun, don't use sunlamps, and don't go to tanning booths.
• Alcohol -- Don't have more than one or two drinks per day.
• Cancer-causing substances -- Avoid contact with substances like asbestos and benzene.
• Ionizing radiation -- Avoid being exposed to radiation from unneeded x-rays.

If you think you may be at risk for cancer, talk to your doctor. Ask how you can reduce your risk and about tests and exams that can detect cancer early.

For more information about cancer, call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER. If you want help quitting smoking, call the NCI's Smoking Quitline at 1-877-44U-QUIT.

choose back button for more from this category, or below for CIS index