How Do You Reduce Your Risk of Cancer?

Here's what I do to lower my chances of getting cancer

Adam Rosenbluth, M.D.,

AARP

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Published February 24, 2025

Dr. Adam, what do you do to decrease your own cancer risk?

How we can take control of our health to try to decrease our cancer risk is such an important question, so I’m more than happy to share the steps I take myself. That said, there are no guarantees. We can only do our best to educate ourselves and make healthy lifestyle choices.

As I’m sure you’ve heard before, there are two big influences when it comes to cancer. The first is genetic, which is known as nature. Certain cancers, such as breast, colorectal, prostate and ovarian, are genetic and more likely to run in families. The other influence is our behavior or lifestyle choices, which is referred to as nurture. We can’t change our genetics because we’re born with them, but we can control our behaviors.

Overall, I try to practice what I preach, so I make daily lifestyle choices, including the obvious ones, such as exercising, eating healthy foods, and not smoking. All these things help keep inflammation at bay; chronic inflammation increases our risk of developing cancer.

Interestingly, studies have shown that sleep deprivation can trigger inflammation. Knowing the importance of a good night’s sleep, I try to be in bed between 10 and 11 o’clock every night and wake up between 5:30 and 6 a.m. As an incentive, I use my phone’s sleep tracker to rate my night’s sleep. Even though it might upset my wife, let me share this with you: While she was out of town, I got a perfect 100 on my sleep score. I missed her, of course, but getting a great night’s sleep is fantastic!

I aim to get a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise every week. Depending on my work schedule, it might be five days of 30 minutes of exercise at a time or short bursts of a more intensive workout. I often play four hours of tennis over the weekend, especially if I’ve missed those weekday workouts. Recently, I read a study in the journal Circulation reporting that weekend warriors, people like me who pack most of their exercise into one or two days, get the same health benefits as people who exercise throughout their week.

Plenty of research has found that obesity increases the chance of developing different cancers. So, I watch my weight and make it a habit to check the scale every morning. I’ve found it’s much easier to drop a couple of pounds than try to lose an extra 10 or 15.

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Which brings me to diet. The American Cancer Society estimates that 42 percent of cancers can be prevented by having a healthy diet and lifestyle. Generally, I choose to eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as lean proteins like chicken and fish, beans, nuts, and whole grains. Plus, I stay well-hydrated and avoid processed foods and sugary snacks. Sometimes I slip up, but we all do. That’s okay as long as you get back on track.

A recent advisory from the former U.S. Surgeon General linked alcohol use to seven different types of cancer. I drink when it’s appropriate for the social situation, usually red wine, but I can go a week without a drink, and it won’t be missed.

I follow a checklist of medical visits and screening tests for disease prevention. For example, I see a dentist every six months, my eye doctor once a year, visit my dermatologist annually, and always wear sunscreen. I have a full annual physical and a less extensive second checkup sometime during the year. I will get a colonoscopy every 3, 5 or 10 years, depending on the results of the previous one, as well as a PSA test and prostate exam to screen for prostate cancer. I’ve also been vaccinated against hepatitis because this disease can cause liver cancer. I don’t take any supplements to prevent cancer because none have been proven effective.

More from Dr. Adam

I don’t smoke and never have. But if you’re still smoking, please try to stop. It’s never too late to end a bad habit. Quitting smoking reduces your risk of 12 different types of cancer.

Ultimately, it’s in our best interest to treat our bodies with care. Sometimes, even with the best efforts, people get cancer. Depending on the type, survival rates continue to improve. If you do get cancer but have maintained a healthy lifestyle, you’ll be more likely to tolerate treatments and maintain your energy and strength. As always, I wish you wellness.

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