Cancer
Tremendous progress in cancer treatment has been made in recent decades.
Today, more than half of those diagnosed with cancer will survive and some forms of cancer are effectively now controlled.
The most common cancer diagnosed in Tasmania is prostate cancer, followed by bowel, breast, lung cancer and melanoma.
What causes cancer?
For many of the common cancers, the causes are not known. In other cancers, recent research has identified some factors that may increase a person’s likelihood of getting cancer. These are called risk factors.
Contributing cancer causes include:
- smoking causes 12.7% of all new cases of cancer diagnosed in Australia. Cancers attributed to smoking include lung, mouth, oesophagus, kidney
- exposure to ultraviolet radiation causes of all types of skin cancers. Australia has the highest rates of skin cancer in the world
- industrial chemicals like uranium, asbestos, benzene
- viruses such human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis
- genetics
Preventing cancer
While the causes of many cancers are not known, the following actions are known to reduce your cancer risk:
- stop smoking and avoid tobacco smoke
- maintain a healthy body weight
- be SunSmart - avoid sunburn and reduce exposure to the sun
- exercise regularly
- avoid or limit your intake of alcohol
- eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
This information has been provided by Cancer Council Tasmania for more information on cancer visit their website at www.cancertas.org.au
For information regarding the National Skin Cancer Awareness Campaign click here.