Act to help prevent cancer during Cancer Prevention Action Week

A senior NHS doctor in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes is calling on all residents to look at their lifestyles to help reduce the chances of getting cancer, during Cancer Prevention Action Week (17-23 February 2025).

About 1,100 people are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK.  A person’s risk of cancer can depend on many different things; some of these can’t be changed, like someone’s genes or age, but around four in 10 UK cancer cases could be prevented.

You can start by:

Quitting smoking

Smoking is the leading cause of cancer in the UK. It damages the cells in our body, causing at least 16 different types of cancer including lung, mouth, throat, voice box, pancreas, bladder, cervix, and kidney. There is no safe level of smoking, so quitting completely is the best thing you can do for your health, and there are tools and services to help you succeed. Follow the link to find help on how to stop smoking https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking.

Being physically active

Regular physical activity helps lower your cancer risk by helping you maintain a healthy weight.  Keeping a healthy weight reduces your risk of 13 different cancer types, including two of the most common types (breast and bowel) and three of the hardest to treat (pancreatic, oesophageal, and gallbladder).  Follow the link to help start your fitness journey: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active.

Reducing your alcohol intake

Cutting back on alcohol can significantly reduce your cancer risk, as alcohol causes seven different types of cancer.  It’s the alcohol itself that damages your body, regardless of the type of drink you consume.  Whatever your drinking habits, reducing your alcohol intake will help lower your risk of cancer.  Follow the link for help on cutting back your alcohol intake: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/drink-less.

Dr Ian Reckless, chief medical officer at Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said:

“Cancer Prevention Action Week is an important opportunity to reflect on how we can transform our lifestyles to reduce cancer risks.  By adopting healthier habits like quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, and staying physically active, we can decrease our chances of developing cancer.  Prevention begins with each of us making small yet important changes.”