CANCER PREVENTION

Smoking

Smoking damages nearly every organ in the human body, and is linked to at least 10 different types of cancers, and accounts for some 30% of all cancer deaths. And it costs billions of dollars each year. Yet one in four Americans still smoke.

When broken down by race/ethnicity, the numbers are as follows:

Whites 23.6%
African Americans 22.4%
Hispanics 16.7%
American Indians/Alaska Natives 40.8%
Asian Americans 23.6% 13.3%


The risk of having lung cancer and other smoking-related cancers is related to total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke, as measured by the number of cigarettes smoked each day, the age at which smoking began, and the number of years a person has smoked. The risk of having lung cancer and other cancers can be reduced by quitting. The risk of lung cancer is less in people who quit smoking than in people who continue to smoke the same number of cigarettes per day, and the risk decreases as the number of years since quitting increases. People who stop smoking at younger ages experience the greatest health benefits from quitting. Those who quit by age 35 avoid 90% of the risk due to tobacco use. However, even smokers who quit after age 50 substantially reduce their risk of dying early.

Excessive Sun Exposure

UV exposure that is intense enough to cause sunburn clearly increases a person's risk of developing skin cancer. And can increase skin cancer risk even without causing sunburn.
Long-term exposure can also cause premature changes in skin including:

Aging
Wrinkles
Loss of elasticity
Dark patches (age spots/liver spots
Actinic keratoses


Besides skin cancer, the sun's UV radiation also increases the risk of cataracts and certain other eye problems, and can suppress the immune system. Two main types of UV radiation reach the earth, UVA and UVB. Scientists now believe that both UVA and UVB rays contribute to skin damage, including skin cancer. UVB radiation is known to cause damage to the DNA of skin cells. Skin cancers develop when this damage affects the DNA of genes that control growth and division of skin cells. Recent research has found that UVA also contributes to skin cancer formation. Artificial sources of UV light, such as sunlamps and tanning booths, may also increase risk of developing skin cancer.

Types of Lung Cancer

The Skin Cancer Resources Directory