Video Tour: 8 Ways to a Healthier Weight - and Lower Risk of Cancer

Take a quick video tour of the latest from our 8IGHT WAYS series: 8IGHT WAYS to a Healthier Weight - and Lower Risk of Cancer.  Whether you're looking to maintain your weight or lose a few pounds, this new guide is filled with simple, useful, and brief tips to help you on your way.  Find it, and other in the series, here. 

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe Promotes Physical Activity Through a Program of Traditional Dance

National Public Radio aired a really nice piece yesterday about a fitness program developed by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe of northern Idaho that focusses on traditional American Indian dance.  With funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the program uses exercise classes and a series of fitness videos based on powwow dances to get tribal members moving.

Featuring both men's and women's dances, the "Powwow Sweat" videos have engaging whimsical touches and interlace dancers in standard workout clothes and those in traditional dress. Similar exercise classes are also offered at the Tribe's wellness center.





As reported in the piece, the traditional, cultural approaches of the program may help it reach and engage people to a greater degree than one solely based on physical activity alone.

"It's this combination of tradition and exercise that keeps tribal member Ryan Ortivez and his neighbors coming to class each week, to watch the videos and dance alongside each other. 

'It's a lot more attractive than doing jogging or the bicycle for me, because it also relates to my culture,' says Ortivez."

This kind of tailored approach and support is key to improving health behaviors in all populations.  We respond to messages that resonate with us, and that are supported within our broader communities.    "Powwow Sweat" is a great example of a program working to do just that.

It is also of particular interest to us as we've had the opportunity to partner with the Buder Center for American Indian Studies at Washington University on health outreach.  And we've recently tailor two of our 8 Ways to Prevent Cancer series titles to American Indian and Alaska Native populations (Breast Cancer & Colon Cancer), each of which was distributed at the Center's 27th Annual Powwow this past March.

Doubling Down on Prevention: Heart Disease & Cancer's Shared Risk Factors

Even in parts of the country experiencing an early thaw, winter starts to feel a bit long by the end of February.  The days are still short. The temps are still low. And the trees are still mostly bare. 

Yet, even amidst all that, we can still take heart.  Not just because we're about to crest into March, and the first days of spring, but because February is literally "Heart" month.  American Heart Month - A federally designated month focused on raising awareness of the importance of heart disease and the steps that can help prevent and manage it. 

On top of this, February also happens to be Cancer Prevention Month, which is amazingly apt.  Heart disease and cancer are the first and second leading causes of death in the United States (see figure), together accounting for approximately 1.2 million deaths each year.  This takes an incredible toll on individuals and their families, as well as on the nation's health as a whole.  

Yet, at the same time, there's a positive message in the middle of the depressing numbers. Both heart disease and cancer are very preventable, which offers wonderful opportunities to make gains against the diseases. Approximately three quarters of heart disease and half of cancers could be avoided with overall healthy lifestyles. And most of the steps that lower the risk of one, also lower the risk of the other.

Shared health behaviors that can lower the risk of both heart disease and cancer, include:

• Avoiding tobacco (and secondhand smoke)

• Maintaining a healthy weight

• Being physically active

• Eating a healthy diet - rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; and low in unhealthy fats and red/processed meat

• Getting screening tests, for certain cancers and heart disease risk factors - Talk with a doctor about which apply to you

• Considering taking a daily low-dose aspirin, if age 50 - 69 - But talk with a doctor first 

Health recommendations often fall into silos of information.  Breast cancer in this silo.  Heart disease in that one.  And colon cancer over there. This can make it easy to miss how important some basic healthy behaviors can be for preventing many key chronic diseases.  Yet it's hard to overstate the potential impact of a handful of healthy behaviors.

So, while we're getting ready to shed some layers and get outside more often as the calendar moves toward spring, why not use these last, focused days of winter to think about one or two things you can do to give a boost to your health and lower your risk of heart disease and cancer? 

• Add one more piece of fruit to your lunch a few days a week.  

• Buy that cereal that has whole gains as a first ingredient. 

• Search for some new meatless recipes to try.  

• Visit smokefree.gov for information about quitting smoking.  

• Tell yourself you're going to do something physically active every day -- no matter how small.  

• Call your clinic or doctor's office to see if you're up-to-date on recommended health screenings and make an appoint to get caught up if you're not. 

Doing these things is probably easier than you think, and the benefits of doing them probably greater. You've got this.

For more tips on making healthy changes, see 8IGHT WAYS to Stay Healthy and Prevent Cancer.  For personalized prevention plans and estimate of your risk of cancer, heart disease, and other conditions, see Your Disease Risk.

Cancer Missed Factors: Many People Unaware of Key Behaviors That Can Lower Cancer Risk

A new report from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) shows that a large percentage of the United States population remains confused about which lifestyle factors increase the risk of cancer and which do not.

While a large majority of the public knows that smoking and sun exposure increase cancer risk, only 50 percent or fewer know that key risk factors like overweight, physical inactivity, alcohol, and processed meat increase risk.  In addition, many lifestyle factors with unproven or tenuous links to cancer were identified by high percentages as proven cancer risk factors. Between 52 - 60 percent of people incorrectly stated that genetically modified foods (GMOs), artificial sweeteners, hormones in beef, and food additives impact a person's chances of developing cancer. Good evidence does not support these links.

Based on a phone survey of a nationally representative sample of around 1,000 people, the AICR report is the eighth in a series, with the first published in 2001.

Perhaps the most surprising finding in the report is the continued low-level understanding that overweight and obesity increase cancer risk.  While there has been overall improvement since 2001, when just 35 percent of respondents identified the link between weight and cancer, the percentage has bounced around the 50 percent mark since 2009, seemingly stalled. Overweight causes over 130,000 cancers a year and increases the risk of over ten different cancers.

Studies show that half of all cancers could be prevented through healthy behaviors. And the list of key steps that lower cancer risk is generally straightforward and relatively short.  We highlight them in our Eight Ways to Prevent Cancer series (see figure), and AICR, the National Cancer Institute, and other such organizations have similar publications.

As the new report suggests, to help people realize these benefits, we need to continue to get the word out on these important prevention messages.  But our efforts must reach beyond the public and also include institutions throughout society - state/local governments, schools, healthcare systems, insurers, and workplaces.  For knowledge to transform into sustained action, reinforcement is key.  Our friends, our workplaces, our healthcare providers, and our community each play a key role in helping us meet our health goals.

From knowledge, to action, to impact.  Together, we can make this happen.

With Breast Cancer in the News - A Brief Primer on Screening and Prevention

by Katy Henke

Breast cancer is back in the headlines this week with the announcement by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill (Missouri) that she has been diagnosed with the disease following a routine mammogram.

Because such news coverage can raise questions about current breast cancer screening guidelines and the steps women can take to prevent the disease, we offer this quick primer.  

Screening

Breast cancer screening with mammography remains the single best way to protect yourself from the disease. Mammograms do not help prevent cancer, but they can help find cancer early, when it’s most treatable.

For most women, regular mammograms can begin at age 40, but specific recommendations vary by age:

If you are age 40 - 44:
You can choose to begin yearly mammograms. It is important to talk to a doctor about the risk and benefits of mammograms at these ages. 

If you are age 45 - 54:
Mammograms are recommended every year. 

If you are age 55 or over:
Mammograms are recommended every other year. You can choose to continue to have them every year.

Clinical breast exams and self-exams are not recommended. Be familiar with your breasts and tell a health care provider right away if you notice any changes in how your breasts look or feel.

Learn more about the new mammography guidelines from the American Cancer Society.

Prevention

In addition to getting recommended mammograms, women can also take steps to lower the risk of breast cancer. Some of these steps include being active, staying at a healthy weight, not smoking, and avoiding too much alcohol (see figure). While such healthy behaviors have the biggest impact when started earlier in life, they can have important breast health benefits for women of all ages.

Information for taking steps to improve breast health and lower cancer risk at nearly any age can be found in the free ebook, Together – Every Woman’s Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer.

For additional tips on lowering your risk of breast cancer, see the personalized prevention tool Your Disease Risk and the site 8IGHT WAYS to Prevent Breast Cancer. 

Taking Steps to Stay Healthy After Cancer (Infographic)

by Katy Henke

Whether you have just been diagnosed, are going through treatment, or are post-treatment, it’s almost never too early to start thinking about your health after cancer. With the help of your doctor, these 8 "ways" can be your guide. Begin with one or two and work your way toward accomplishing each. Your only limitation, really, is when you want to start!  See full details for each, here.

8 Ways to Lower Colon Cancer Risk in One Simple Graphic

by Katy Henke

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States. The good news is that 75 percent of cases could be prevented with healthy lifestyle choices. These eight simple tips can help you lower your colon cancer risk and improve your overall health (PDF). For more information and prevention tips, visit 8ways.wustl.edu.

(PDF)

What Do the Numbers Say About Breast Cancer Prevention?

Larger version - including "presentation mode"

Larger version - including "presentation mode"

Eight Ways to Prevent Cancer - in One Simple Graphic

More information and other 8IGHT WAYS pages.  

Facebook Post by Siteman Cancer Center.

(Video) 8 Ways to Prevent Cancer (and A Bunch of Other Diseases)

As part of our 8 Ways to Prevent Cancer campaign, the Siteman Cancer Center and the Cancer News in Context team produced a series of videos focusing on practical information and useful tips about each "way."

This is the first in the series, featuring CNiC's Dr. Kate Wolin.

Simple tips.  Big benefits.

6 Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer

Ask women what they think is the biggest threat to their health, and most will answer “breast cancer.”  And even though lung cancer and heart disease kill more women each year, their concern is well placed. 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the US -- about 230,000 American women are diagnosed with the disease each year -- and it is the leading killer of women in midlife (ages 30 – 55).  And despite thousands of studies on the causes of breast cancer, not many lifestyle factors have been linked to the disease, leaving many women frustrated that there’s not more they than can do to try to lower their risk. 

Yet, looked at as a whole, there are a number of important steps women can take to try to prevent breast cancer.  Not every one applies to every woman, but together than can have a big impact on risk:

Six Ways to Prevent Breast Cancer

1) Keep weight in check

No surprise here.  Women who maintain a healthy weight have a lower risk of breast cancer, especially when they’re post-menopausal. One reason for this is that fat tissue produces hormones that increase the risk of breast cancer.  The less fat tissue, the lower the hormone levels, and the lower the risk of breast cancer. 

2) Be physically active

Exercise is as close to a silver bullet for health as there is.  People who are physically active for at least 30 minutes a day have a lower risk of breast cancer, possibly because exercise has a positive effect on the levels of hormone and other growth factors in the body.  Being physically active is also one of the best ways to help keep weight in check.

3) Avoid too much alcohol

Yes, alcohol can be good for your heart, but when it comes to cancer there’s not too much good about it. Even moderate amounts increase the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer.  And studies show that women who have less than one drink a day have a lower risk of breast cancer than those who drink more.

If you do drink moderately, there’s evidence that the vitamin folate - in the amount found in most 100 % DV multivitamins and B-complex vitamins – may help protect against the increased risk associated with alcohol.

In general, if you drink moderately (no more than 1 drink a day for women) the overall health benefit of drinking outweigh the risks.  But if you don’t drink, don’t feel that you need to start.  If you have any concerns, talk to a doctor about how alcohol may affect your health.

4) Breastfeed, if possible

OK, this only applies to women who are still having children, but there is very good evidence that breastfeeding has real benefits for mother and child.  When it comes to breast cancer, women who breastfeed for a total of one year or more (combined for all children) have a lower risk of the disease. Why? Breastfeeding can cause changes both in hormone levels and in the breast tissue itself that help protect the cells from becoming cancerous. Women who regularly breast feed also have a lower risk of ovarian cancer.

5) Avoid birth control pills, particularly after age 35 or if you smoke

As many women know, birth control pills have real, practical benefits. But, they can have some downsides, too. Women currently on birth control pills have an increased risk of breast cancer as well as a higher risk of stroke and heart attack – particularly if they smoke.  Since their long term use, though, can lower the risk of colon cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer – not to mention unwanted pregnancy - there’s also a lot in their favor.  If you’re particularly concerned about breast cancer risk, avoiding birth control pills can lower your risk. Even if you take birth control pills, though, risk only seems to be increased during the time you’re actively on them.

6) Avoid post-menopausal hormones

Even if you’ve wanted to, it’s been hard to avoid the topic of post-menopausal hormones the past number of years, the way it’s swept the health news, confusing thousands along the way.  In a nutshell, here’s what you need to know about how they can affect the risk of breast cancer and other important diseases.

When all the evidence is looked at together it’s clear that post-menopausal hormones shouldn’t be taken long term to prevent chronic diseases, like osteoporosis and heart disease. Estrogen-only hormones don’t lower the risk of heart disease, and actually increase the risk of breast cancer and stroke. And estrogen plus progestin hormones—the type of hormones taken most often by women with a uterus—raise the risk of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, and blood clots. While both types of hormones lower the risk of osteoporosis, this benefit is usually offset by their risks, especially since there are many other options for combating bone loss and fractures.

Whether women should take post-menopausal hormones in the short term to treat menopausal symptoms like hot flashes is a personal decision.  Hormones can bring significant relief from unpleasant, irritating, and sometimes severe symptoms, and the risks are relatively small from 1- 2 years of hormone use, especially for estrogen-alone in women without a uterus. If women do take hormones, it should be for the shortest time possible. As always, the best person to talk to about the risks and benefits of post-menopausal hormones is a doctor.

Tamoxifen and Raloxifene

Allthough not really a “healthy behavior” as most would describe it, if you’re at high risk of breast cancer, taking the prescription drugs tamoxifen and raloxifene can significantly lower your risk. They are powerful drugs, though, and can also have serious side effects, so are not right for everyone and can only be prescribed by a doctor.  If you think you’re at high risk, talk to your doctor to see if these drugs may be right for you.

What about Soy?

No doubt you’ve heard a lot about soy in recent years as a way to boost your health, and there is growing evidence that a high-soy diet is both safe to eat and could help lower the risk of breast cancer.  The amount of soy that seems to bring benefits, though, is much higher than even big soy eaters in the US typically consume.  So, it’s unclear how realistic it is for most women to eat enough to begin to see breast health benefits.

Importance of Screening

Despite recent news storms on breast cancer screening, it remains the single best way to protect yourself from the disease.  Though it doesn’t help prevent cancer, it can help find cancer early when it’s most treatable. 

All women over the age of 20 should get screened regularly for breast cancer. The right screening tests mainly depend on a woman's age:

If you are between ages 20 and 39:
Get a clinical breast exam every 1 - 3 years.

If you age 40 or older:
Get a mammogram and clinical breast exam every year.

If you’re at high risk, you may need to have mammograms more often and begin them at an earlier age. You may also need to have some different types of screening tests.

And don't rely on finding breast cancer yourself with self-exams. Though it’s OK to do breast self-exams, they don't take the place of mammograms and clinical breast exams.

Estimating Your Breast Cancer Risk

Online tools for estimating breast cancer risk abound, and many of these sites can be useful guides for opening a dialog with doctors or other health professionals about your cancer risk and health choices.  

Not all risk assessment sites, though, are created equal, and it’s good to do some research before using them.   As with most health information on the Internet, it’s best to start with sites from known reputable organizations, such as universities, large health organizations, and the federal government.  When seeking out cancer risk assessment tools, it’s also very important to look for information showing that developers of the site have experience in the field.  While it’s easy to put up a cancer risk quiz on the web, it’s much harder to get it right.


Two of the best-established cancer risk estimation sites are the National Cancer Institute’s “Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool” and our “Your Disease Risk” site at Washington University School of Medicine,” which offers estimates of 12 different cancers, including breast cancer.  Unlike many tools available on the Web, these have been scientifically validated in published studies.

Web Resources

Washington University School of Medicine

Your Disease Risk

Twitter Feed - Your Disease Risk

8 Ways to Stay Healthy and Prevent Cancer (PDF)

Cancer Survivor's 8 Ways to Stay Healthy After Cancer (PDF)

Others

Harvard School of Public Health – Nutrition Source

National Cancer Institute

American Cancer Society

National Library of Medicine – PubMed

7-Minute Abs: The Science and Sense Behind Our "8 Ways to Stay Healthy and Prevent Cancer"

There is a great scene in the movie There's Something About Mary where the crazy hitchhiker is talking to Ted about his genius new idea - 7-Minute Abs.

"Think about it. You walk into a video store, you see 8-Minute Abs sittin' there, there's 7-Minute Abs right beside it. Which one are you gonna pick, man? "

I often think about this when talking to people about our 8 Ways to Stay Healthy and Prevent Cancer.  I often hear: "Why not 9 ways to prevent cancer?" "Why not 10 ways?"  Wouldn't that be even better?!? The 8 ways can sound so "simple" or "obvious" or "common sense" that it is easy to forget that there is an incredible depth of quality research behind them.

Yes, there are more than 8 things you can do to prevent cancer. But, the 8 ways were selected based on a scientific review of over 30 years of cancer prevention research to identify the biggest contributors to cancer risk and the ones with a strong body of convincing science behind them.

I recently saw an advertisement on a professional networking group I belong to for a seminar on cancer prevention. I was excited - how great that this group is bringing in an expert to talk about health and wellness - something we tend to forget to prioritize in the hustle and bustle of work, family and life. Imagine my disappointment upon clicking over and seeing that the seminar leader had no expertise in this area - no formal education, no experience conducting or reviewing research. This so-called "expert" merely had a laundry list a mile long of factors that prevent cancer - in her opinion. Many of those things have very little (or no) good science behind them. In fact, she listed things that have been shown to be not true.

Here's where I think the harm in this kind of post comes - we are all busy and most of us don't have time to do everything right every day. So we make choices about what to prioritize. If we mislead people about what can and what cannot prevent cancer, we send them down a path of prioritizing something with little or no impact instead of encouraging them to focus on the things where they are most likely to get a return on their investment (be it time or money or both).

That is what our 8 ways are about - identifying the factors that are going to reduce risk of several cancers, where there is a lot of quality science. The other important difference between the 8 ways and the "health tip" laundry lists you might see, is that our 8 ways are based on our evidence-based validated risk assessment tool Your Disease Risk. Again, we're using science to build science.

So while the 8 ways might seem like "simple health tips" they are really evidence-based medicine for prevention.

On the Internet, it's reader beware.  So it pays to take some time to learn how to assess what you're actually reading.  Surely, there are reputable organizations that have slightly different takes on the science than we do, but knowing who these groups are and what their background is helps determine what credence to give them.

For some tips on finding good health information online, see this piece we put together with the Komen Foundation: Using the Internet to Find Health Information.

Priorities for prevention: breast cancer survivors

With over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the US today, a question raised by several poster presentations at the recent San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium included the endpoint for studies of breast cancer survivors. For example, in a study by Jones and colleagues (poster PD08-03) studied 9766 women with early stage hormone receptor positive breast cancer. For 5113 women with negative nodes at diagnosis, 2.8% died due to breast cancer during 5 years of follow-up. In this same group of women, 3.5% died from other causes. For 4587 women with positive nodes, the pattern was reversed with more women dying form breast cancer (8.7%) than from other causes (4.1%). Non breast cancer causes of death included heart disease and stroke.

The percentage of breast cancer cases diagnosed among overweight and obese women in the US continues to increase.  As a consequence, the importance of obesity in the development of other chronic disease after successful treatment of breast cancer will become increasingly apparent. Mortality data as reported by Jones offer a reminder that we should pay particular attention to routine care and management of other health conditions. In addition, previous data from a large randomized trial show that obese women had increased risk of developing breast cancer in the opposite breast and increased total mortality compared to normal weight women. Importantly the excess morality included non-breast cancer deaths which were elevated by 50% compared to normal weight women (Dignam, Wieand et al. 2003).

For more information to help survivors we have prepared a new 8-ways brochure. Here's a free printable guide to staying healthy after cancer.

Related CNiC posts

Finding the key to health as a cancer survivor: a new 8 ways

Strengthening your future after breast cancer

Literature cited

Dignam, J. J., K. Wieand, et al. (2003). "Obesity, tamoxifen use, and outcomes in women with estrogen receptor-positive early-stage breast cancer." J Natl Cancer Inst 95(19): 1467-1476.

Finding the key to health as a cancer survivor: a new 8 ways

For a long time, the CNiC team has talked about 8 ways you can prevent cancer. This week, we're proud to announce our 8 ways to stay healthy AFTER cancer. With over 12 million cancer survivors in the US alone, addressing the chronic health needs of cancer survivors is a priority.

Readers will notice that there is a lot of overlap. This is in part because the leading causes of health challenges for cancer surviors (e.g., diabetes, heart disease) share risk factors with cancer itself. The time during and after cancer treatment can be a particularly challenging one, with information overload and an internet full of "miracle" promises. The key to these 8 ways is to not let them add to those feelings - start small, making 1 or 2 changes and add more as you are able.

1. Don't smoke. This is the single best thing you can do for your health as a survivor.
2. Avoid secondhand smoke. Avoid smoky bars and restaurants and make your home smokefree.
3. Avoid inactivity! Regular exercise helps improve the quality and quantity of your life.
4. Avoid weight gain. Eating is a common stress coping mechanism, but weight gain can increase your risk of recurrence and diminish your quality of life.
5. Eat a healthy diet. Focus on fruits and vegetables and whole grains, keeping red meat to a minimum. Avoid messages talking of miracles and quick fixes.
6. Alcohol is something to be consumed only in moderation, if at all.
7. Stay connected. Friends, family and other survivors can all provide important social and emotional support.
8. Get regular check-ups. This means getting necessary screening tests for other cancers and chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.

It is never too early or too late to start making these changes to boost your health!

Here's a free printable guide to staying healthy after cancer.

Regular care improves cancer prevention

In a recent study, Karen Emmons and Colleagues evaluate colorectal cancer screening behaviors among 695 low-income, multiethnic adults aged 50 years and over who were primarily insured (97%). Provider's recommendation was significantly associated with being up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening. Provider's understanding of patient's social context was assessed by how well participants felt that their provider knew (a) their responsibilities at work, home, or school; (b) their worries about health; and (c) them as a person and their values and beliefs. The level of provider understanding was significantly associated with current screening. Participants who reported that their provider knew them well were significantly more likely to be current with colon cancer screening compared to those who did not. These findings show that when a provider understands their patient's social context (their broader lives, as it were), adherence to colorectal cancer screening improves. Maintaining a regular primary care provider, therefore, can improve colorectal cancer screening rates and significantly further reduce the burden of this cancer on society.

See http://bit.ly/cH7YcC

Cancer Prevention Works

The recent Annual Report to the Nation featuring colon cancer trends (http://bit.ly/ccF9ma) highlights the success of prevention in reducing colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. Colorectal cancer is the third most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States for men and women combined. In the US, an estimated 147,000 individuals were diagnosed with colorectal cancer last year and approximately 50,000 men and women died from this disease. More than 90% of new cases are diagnosed in men and women 50 years of age and older.

While overall cancer incidence has decreased at 0.7% per year from 1999 to 2006; colorectal cancer has declined steadily since 1984 and quickened the decline since 2002. Incidence of new cases has decreased between 2 and 4 percent per year for colorectal cancer. Overall from 1975 to 2000, incidence decreased by 22%. Deaths from colorectal cancer have decreased too. From 1975 to 2000 deaths decreased by just over a quarter (about 26%).

The message? Prevention works! 

Recent estimates show that the decrease in mortality can be divided between change in risk factors, screening, and improvements in treatment. Change in risk factors explains more than one third of the reduction in colorectal cancer mortality. Screening accounts for another half of the reduction, and treatment accounts for about one tenth.

We and others have advocated lifestyle changes and use of screening to prevent colorectal cancer. Projections suggest that with continued expansion of access to screening and improvements in risk factors the downwards trend will continue. Go to www.yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu to learn more about your risk and things you can do to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

How do you prevent colon cancer?

• Get regular screening tests beginning at age 50 (or earlier if you have a family history.)
• Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink
• Limit red meat to less than 3 servings a week
• Take a multivitamin with folate every day
• Make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D
• Take an aspirin every day (check with your doctor first)

More details on the decline in colorectal cancer can be found at: http://bit.ly/ccF9ma

Worksite wellness and occupational health assessment saves lives

Comprehensive worksite health promotion addressing occupational health issues, smoking cessation, diet and activity has shown a reduction in cancer risk in blue-collar workers (Sorensen et al. Cancer Causes and Control. 2002). If these results were applied in all similar settings then we would see a substantial reduction in lung cancer in the coming years. See: http://bit.ly/9CVqOW

"8 Ways to Prevent Cancer" - Talk at Sydney University

Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH had the privilege to give a talk this afternoon at Sydney University, Australia, on "8 Ways to Prevent Cancer." The talk detailed the evidence behind, and multi-layered issues involved in, cancer prevention efforts. Dr. Colditz's slides from the talk (link).