Cancer Fighting Tips

Breast, Cervical, and Colon

*Keep % of calories from fat at 20% or below.

*Avoid red meat.

*Eat three servings a week of fish rich in omega-3s. (if veggie ..go for linseed/flax seed and walnuts)

*Eat four servings of fruits and five servings of vegetables a day.

*Have no more than two or three alcoholic drinks a week.

*Substitute olive oil for other fats used in cooking and salad dressings.

Breast Cancer

*Conduct a breast self-exam every month.

*Get a yearly clinical breast exam starting at age 20.

*Beginning at age 40, get a yearly mammogram. Ask your doctor for a baseline mammogram before age 40.

Cervical Cancer

*Get an annual Pap test and pelvic exam starting at age 18 or when you first become sexually active.

Colon Cancer

*Limit intake of fat to no more than 20% of daily calories.

*Cut back on red meat: 1 serving a week.

*Limit alcohol intake: men, no more than 2 drinks a day, women no more than 1.

*Make sure your multivitamin supplement contains 400 mcg of folic acid.

*Get a digital rectal exam every year starting at age 50 (earlier for high-risk groups, i.e., family history, personal history, history of inflammatory bowel disease)

*At age 50 and beyond(earlier for high-risk groups), get a colonoscopy every 10 years. If no known risk factors are present, a flexible sigmoidoscopy can be used every 3-5 years beginning at age 50. Both tests should be supplemented by a yearly fecal occult blood test.

Lung Cancer

*Don't smoke, or quit if you do. No matter how long you've been smoking, it's never too late.

Ovarian Cancer

*Get an annual Pap test and pelvic exam starting at age 18 or when you first become sexually active.


*If you have a family history, talk to your doctor about receiving a transvaginal ultrasound & the CA-125 blood test.


*Avoid using talcum powder for pelvic hygiene.


*Consider taking birth control pills.


*Get a digital rectal exam every year starting at age 50. This exam is primarily for colorectal cancer, but it also enables your doctor to check the ovaries and uterus for fibroids and ovarian cysts.

Prostate Cancer

*Take a 200-mcg selenium supplement.


*Screening: Caucasian men should get a yearly prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test starting at age 50, or sooner if there's a family history of prostate cancer. Because of increased risk, African American men should start screening at age 40.


*Screening: Caucasian men should get a yearly digital rectal exam starting at age 50, or sooner if there's a family history. Because of increased risk, African American men should start screening at age 40.

Skin Cancer & Sun Safety

*If outdoors, wear a water/sweat-proof sunscreen with at least 15 SPF and full UVB and UVA protection at all times. Apply 20 minutes before exposure, and reapply every 2 hours.


*Avoid sun as much as possible between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.


*Screening: See a dermatologist for a head-to-toe skin cancer check at least every 3 years between ages 20 and 40. Get it annually if you're over 40.