Pollution raises your
lung cancer risk as much as smoking does. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates the risk of getting
lung cancer from breathing
polluted air is a hundredth that of a pack-a-day habit.
Your antiperspirant or deodorant can cause breast cancer. “Any data out there to suggest this is very weak and very indirect at best,” says Therese Bevers, M.D.
Breast implants can cause cancer. Studies have consistently shown no link between cancer and implants.
If a family member gets cancer, you’re destined to get it, too. While you may
be at a slightly elevated risk, only about 15 percent of cancers appear to run in families, according to the ACS.
Megadoses of vitamins can fight cancer. Preliminary evidence suggests that
only a couple of vitamins
(K and D) may offer protective cancer benefits. Megadosing is never a good idea, says Grover Bagby, M.D. Many vitamins can be toxic in large doses.
How you cook your meat doesn’t matter. Grilling
and broiling generate heterocyclic amines, chemicals that are released
when high heat breaks down the amino acids in meat. These chemicals have been linked to cancer in animals, according to the ACS.
There are no drugs that can help prevent cancer. Tamoxifen and the osteoporosis drug raloxifene have been shown to help prevent breast cancer in high-risk women; finasteride can reduce prostate cancer
risk; and retinoids may halt or reverse precancerous growths in the mouth. Many other drugs are currently undergoing testing.
An annual physical
is essential for preventing cancer. Regular physicals aren’t as important as screenings that are specific to your age and risk factors (see When to Get Screened, following page). To determine if you’re at above-normal
risk for cancer, go to Pfizer’s site www.generationalhealth.com. If you have multiple cases of cancer in your family history, make an appointment to discuss that information with your doctor.
