Each year, cancer takes the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans — yet what many do not realize is that almost half of all cancer cases are preventable.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To the surprise of many Americans, February is National Cancer Prevention Month, which serves as a reminder that cancer prevention starts with awareness, screenings, and healthy lifestyle choices.
In honor of the month, experts such as Annalea Trask, program coordinator at Stony Brook University Cancer Center, said that modifiable risk factors can lower the risk for certain cancers.
“Getting cancer screenings and getting vaccinated can prevent certain cancers,” Trask said.
She also said that wearing sunblock, quitting smoking and vaping, reducing alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy body weight and an overall healthy lifestyle can all reduce the risk of cancer.
A significant culprit of cancer causes is the Human Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which is responsible for 36,000 cases of cancer in the United States annually. HPV can cause six different kinds of cancers, including anal, cervical, oropharyngeal, penile, vaginal and vulvar.
Trask said that getting the HPV vaccination plays an important role in preventing these particular cancers.
“The HPV vaccine, when given in childhood before the age of 13, can prevent up to 90% of those cancers,” Trask said. “If you were not vaccinated in childhood, you can still get your vaccine through 26 or 45 when speaking with a health care provider.”
Trask recommends the HPV vaccination to all individuals, especially in childhood. She said the recommended age for children to receive the vaccine is nine.
