Print out and stick around the room for fact finding Risk Factors Posters Print out and stick around the room for fact finding

Diet, weight and exercise Extra body fat leads to changes in the body such as hormone production which can change how our cells develop. There is a clear relationship between the weight of someone and their chances of having cancer. It is less clear exactly why this is so. People who do less exercise, eat unhealthy diets and are obese are at a high risk of cancer.

Smoking This is by far the biggest cause of preventable cancer. Chemicals from the cigarette smoke enter the bloodstream and can get to every part of our body. Some of these chemicals cause damage to the smoker’s DNA and others can prevent the body from repairing the DNA. When the DNA is damaged the genes that protect us from cancer may no longer work. These chemicals can enter the body from passive smoking too. The risk factor increase with more exposure to the cigarette smoke.

Alcohol The less alcohol is drunk the lower the risk of cancer. It does not matter which type of alcohol is drunk as all alcohol increases the chances of cancer. In our bodies alcohol breaks down to for a chemical called acetaldehyde, which can damage the DNA in cells in the body. Alcohol can also damage our livers which increases the risk of cancer again.

Radiation Radioactive radiation can damage a cell’s DNA which in turn can lead to cancer. Below is a list of radioactive radiation emitters: Medical X rays and radiotherapy Radon gas is emitted from rocks and the ground Nuclear Power stations

UV (the Sun) Ultraviolet radiation is emitted from the sun. It is also used for tanning purposes on sunbeds. It can cause damaged to a cell’s DNA and when this happens sunburn is often visible. Getting sunburnt once every 2 years can triple your chances of getting skin cancer. Sunscreen blocks the UV rays from the skin and prevents this damage.

Inherited Genes Some people in families with a history of cancer have a higher chance of developing cancer due to inherited faulty genes. For most types of cancer this is rarely the cause. Age is much more likely to be the prominent factor.

Infections Cancer is not a contagious disease which means you cannot catch it. However some infections can increase your chances of developing cancer. HPV (virus)- increases the risk of cervical cancer Helicobacter pylori- increases the risk of stomach cancer EBV- a common infection that increase the risk of a few types of cancer HIV Hepatitis C- increases the risk of liver cancer Parasites such as the liver worm and the blood worm (very rare in the UK)