To reduce cancer risk, researchers recommend adopting these 4 healthy habits

While some cancers are caused by genetics, studies have shown that up to half of all cases are caused by behavioral risk factors, meaning they can be prevented.

Doctors recommend some common lifestyle changes to prevent cancer, such as not smoking, eating nutritious foods, using sun protection, and limiting exposure to carcinogens, but each person’s means of reducing risk may be different.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham have compiled four specific strategies, backed by research, to reduce risk.

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1. Stay on top of preventive exams

Procrastination is one of the main reasons people don’t get cancer screenings, research has shown.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham have compiled four specific strategies, backed by research, to reduce risk. (iStock)

For example, colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among black people in the U.S., but many do not receive recommended screening tests.

A study by Dr. Adjoa Anyane-Yeboa, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), found that “self-reported procrastination” was the main reason for skipping screenings, fueled by “financial concerns, concerns about COVID-19 and fear of both the test and bowel preparation.

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“The key takeaway from this study is that all providers should discuss colorectal cancer screening at regular intervals with all of their patients, because early detection through screening saves lives,” Anyane-Yeboa told Fox News Digital.

“To reduce the risk of cancer, everyone should get screened starting at age 45 and talk to their families about their family history to determine if screening is needed sooner.”

Screening guidelines for other types of cancer can be found on the American Cancer Society website. (iStock)

“Colorectal cancer can be prevented through screening, and screening truly saves lives.”

Screening guidelines for other types of cancer can be found on the American Cancer Society website.

2. Improve your sleep health

Insufficient or poor quality sleep has been linked to an increased risk of developing cancer.

Heming Wang, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), led a research team that examined the impact of insomnia on ovarian cancer risk.

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“Insomnia is a common sleep disorder among ovarian cancer patients,” Wang told Fox News Digital.

“Our research revealed that insomnia increases the risk of a specific subtype of ovarian cancer and is associated with poorer patient survival,” he continued.

Insufficient or poor quality sleep has been linked to an increased risk of developing cancer. (iStock)

“These findings highlight the importance of addressing insomnia in the prevention and treatment of ovarian cancer.”

Based on these findings, seeking treatment for insomnia may help reduce the risk of certain types of ovarian cancer, these researchers say.

3. Know the risks and benefits of daily aspirin use

Research has shown that taking aspirin or another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) regularly can reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer, but it can also cause dangerous side effects, such as bleeding and inflammation.

“It is important to know whether you are more likely to benefit from daily aspirin use,” according to the MGH.

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Daniel Sikavi, MD, and Andrew Chan, MD, of MGH, led a study that explored the link between aspirin and colon cancer risk.

“Our results suggested that people with a less healthy lifestyle (higher body mass index, more smoking, higher alcohol consumption, less physical activity and poorer diet quality) had a greater absolute benefit from aspirin use for reduce your risk of colorectal cancer,” Sikavi said. he told Fox News Digital.

Research has shown that taking aspirin regularly can reduce the risk of developing colorectal cancer, but it can also cause dangerous side effects. (iStock)

People with a healthier lifestyle had a lower overall risk of colon cancer, the researchers found, but regular aspirin use did not have the same protective effects for that group.

“This work is an important example of a more personalized approach to cancer prevention by targeting effective prevention strategies to populations most likely to benefit,” Sikavi said.

4. Reduce consumption of sugary drinks

Studies have shown that more than half of the American population consumes sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) on any given day.

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Research by the American Cancer Society (ACS) found that men and women who drank two or more servings of SSB per day had a 5% increased risk of dying from an obesity-related cancer.

“Despite their sweet taste, sugary drinks pose significant health risks,” Longgang Zhao, PhD, a researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, told Fox News Digital.

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“Researchers have already linked the drinks to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.”

Zhao recently led a study that investigated the link between sugary drinks and liver cancer risk among postmenopausal women.

Research has found that men and women who drank two or more servings of sugary drinks a day had a 5% increased risk of dying from obesity-related cancer. (iStock)

“In our current study using data from the Women’s Health Initiative prospective cohort, we found that postmenopausal women who drank one or more sugary drinks per day had a higher risk of developing liver cancer and dying from chronic liver disease than those who drank less than three or fewer sugary drinks per month,” he said.

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“If a causal link is established between sugary drinks and liver disease, the broader implications for global public health initiatives are substantial.”