Ways to cut your cancer risk

By Shirley Ruedy

If you had a one-in-six chance of winning the lottery, you'd be overjoyed. If you had even 1-in 13 or 18 - or 1-in-52 or 55, you'd still think those odds were great.Depending upon your gender, those are the chances you have of developing cancer. Surprised?

Consider the lifetime risks: 1 in 6 men will get prostate cancer sometime; 1 in 8 women, breast cancer; 1 in 13 men and 1 in 18 women, lung cancer; 1 in 18 people, colon cancer. About 1 in 52 women, ovarian cancer; and 1 in 55 people, the oft-lethal skin cancer, melanoma.

This is the bad news. The truth is, you can largely control your chances of getting cancer. April is Cancer Control Month, and for the first time on record, cancer is the No. 1 cause of death in Iowa (announced March 24). Here are some risk management tips:

1) Ax the smoking. Nine cancers are associated with tobacco. A good 30 percent of cancers overall is caused by first- or secondhand smoke.

2) Cut overeating, over-drinking, over-sunning; exercise more. Another 30 percent of cancers is linked to excess fat and poor nutrition. Coupled with lack of physical activity, cancer incidence rises. Limit alcohol. Be physically active for at least 30 minutes five days a week. Shun lengthy sun activities between 10 a.m. and

4 p.m. and tanning beds.

3) Hot foot it to screening tests for the heaviest-hitting cancers: breast, prostate and colon. Although lung cancer is No. 1 in both cancer incidence and deaths, it's usually advanced by the time it's evident in X-rays. State-wide information on financial assistance guidelines and sources is available for breast/cervical cancer screening through the Iowa Department of Public Health: http://www.idph.state.ia.us/careforyourself/eligibility.asp or 1 (800) 369-2229.

4) The following screening tests are for the general population (People with personal or family histories of cancer should take more precautions):

l Cancer-related checkup: Begin at age 20. Checklist: thyroid, testicles, ovaries, lymph nodes, oral cavity and skin.

l Breast and prostate cancer. Controversy has surrounded new guidelines. I've studied the various recommendations and concur with these:

Women - Annual mammograms starting at age 40, with clinical breast exams. Know advantages/limitations of breast self-examination. Annual Pap test for cervical cancer, no later than age 21; intervals according to American Cancer Society guidelines available online (www.cancer.org) or 1-(800) 227-2345. Females ages 9 and 26, HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination (Gardasil) to prevent cervical cancer.

Men - At age 50, discuss with doctors the risks/benefits of the PSA test and digital rectal exam for prostate cancer. My take: annual PSA/DRE screening for men with at least a 10-year life expectancy.

Both sexes: Starting at age 50, screening at 1/5/10-year intervals for colorectal cancer depending on test. I favor colonoscopy screening: It looks at the entire colon and can prevent cancer by the doctor snipping any polyps.

l Regarding the breast/prostate screening controversy: Ample evidence shows that deaths from these two cancers declined appreciably since the onset of routine mammography and PSA. Renowned experts take both sides of the issue.

ACS endorses those screenings. The American Urological Association says prostate cancer deaths decreased by a stunning 40 percent over the past decade, attributable to PSA testing and treatment.

Dr. George Weiner, director, Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa, told me in an e-mail “What is undeniable is that cancer screening works ... screening is helping us detect breast, prostate and colon cancer earlier. Lung cancer deaths should decrease in the years ahead based on strengthening of tobacco control programs.”

The tragedy of cancer is not that some deaths are inevitable but that so many deaths are avoidable.

Shirley Ruedy of Cedar Rapids is a three-time cancer survivor, and The Gazette's retired cancer columnist. Comments: shirleyr7@msn.com