Cancer Education Blog

It’s no secret that being carrying excess pounds can lead to serious health consequences–but did you know that it can also raise your risk for certain types of cancer? National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that in 2011–2014, nearly 70% of U.S. adults aged 20 years or older were overweight or obese.

Research shows that higher amounts of body fat can increase the risk for several types of cancer, including liver cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, endometrial cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, gallbladder cancer, thyroid cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer (in women past menopause). Obesity also increases the risk for developing advanced prostate cancer, which is the most dangerous stage of the disease. 

Have you ever gotten a sunburn even after taking all the necessary precautions, such as slathering on sunscreen or wearing a hat? If so, you’re well aware that it’s not just painful, but frustrating as well.

It may be shocking to learn that certain medications, foods, skin care products, and other agents can actually increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun’s harmful rays (photosensitivity). While many of these “sunburn boosters” aren’t considered harmful in and of themselves, it is important to use them with caution on days you know your skin will be exposed to the sun.   

What is the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout? It's an annual event, held the third Thursday of every November, a date on which smokers nationwide are asked to give up smoking. Quitting for just one day helps you take action toward a healthier life, and reduce your lung cancer risk.

Each year, the Great American Smokeout calls attention to the deaths, lung cancer diagnosis and other chronic diseases that smoking causes, and how to prevent them. As a result of this event, there have been actions taken towards reducing the health impacts that smoking can have on smokers and non-smokers including: