Wellness Article 3: Your best defence against cancer

Your First Defence Against Cancer: Education

Prostate Cancer
"If Canadian men want to stop dying from prostate cancer, they have to start talking about their health and their prostates. It's as simple as that," says John Blanchard, Chair, Prostate Cancer Alliance of Canada. "Men have to get the facts about this disease, and reduce their risk through regular testing and adopting a prostate friendly diet."

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for Canadian men. Prostate cancer puts an end to birthday celebrations for 12 Canadian men a day.

"The best action for men to take to protect themselves from this disease is to find out all they can about early detection and prevention of prostate cancer," says Dr. Barb Whylie, Director, Cancer Control Policy, Canadian Cancer Society. "We urge men - especially men over 50 and men at high risk - to talk to their doctors about prostate cancer so they understand their risk, know the early warning signs and learn about the tests available to detect this disease. Early detection offers the best defense against this disease."

Adapted from the Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.ontario.cancer.ca/ccs/internet/standard/0,3182,3225_83256703__langId-en,00.html

Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among Canadian women. Despite slight declines in mortality rates over the past decade for women with breast cancer, one in nine Canadian women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime; one in 25 Canadian women will die from this disease.

Risk Factors:
Scientific researchers are not certain of the direct causes of breast cancer, but have identified some proven risk factors as well as others that are suspected or possible.

Known Risk Factors:
Gender: More than 99% of breast cancers occur in women
Age: risk increases as you get older
Early menstruation (before the age of 12)
Late menopause (after age 55)
Having a first baby after age 30 or never having a baby
Having a close relative with breast cancer
Being physically inactive
Being overweight
Taking hormone replacement therapy

Possible Risk Factors:
Eating too few fruits and vegetables
Drinking too much alcohol
Never breastfeeding
Smoking tobacco or being exposed to second-hand smoke
Using birth control pills

For more information on risk factors and how to minimize your risk, visit Health Canada at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/iyh/diseases/breast_cancer.html