Some cancers are caused by what people do, e.g. smoking can cause cancer of the lungs, mouth, throat, etc. as well as heart disease and stroke. Not everyone who smokes will get cancer, but smoking will increase the chance of developing the disease. Drinking large amounts of alcohol has also been shown to increase the chance of developing cancer. Radiation in the form of sunlight without protection can cause skin cancer. To see an interactive guide to the most common types of cancer, click here (requires Macromedia Flash Player), or click here (standard HTML version).

However, for many cancers the specific cause remains unknown though research is going on all the time to learn about the major causes of cancer and the kind of action we can take to reduce our risk of developing cancer.
The main risk factors for cancer

• Tobacco use
• Diet
• Alcohol
• Environmental factors e.g. radiation, chemicals, infectious diseases

We can take action and help ourselves by being aware of the risk factors and reducing them, by being aware of our bodies and by attending local screening sessions. Never starting to use tobacco or stopping it's use, eating fruit and vegetables, keeping fit, drinking sensibly, and protecting our skin in the sun will help to reduce the risk of developing cancer. However, some people who carry out these risky behaviours may never develop cancer and some who never take any risks may still develop cancer.

Is Cancer Curable?

Many forms of cancer can indeed be cured. Early diagnosis of cancer increases the chance of successful treatment. There is much that you can do to detect early signs of cancer. Sadly many people die from cancer because they delay seeing their doctor about suspicious symptoms. Every year more and more people with cancer are being cured and many people are alive today after being successfully treated for cancer that many years ago would have been incurable.