This National Cancer Prevention Month, Reduce Your Risk

 February is National Cancer Prevention Month. Native people have higher rates of the following cancers than the national average: colorectal cancer, liver and stomach cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer.

 

While cancer rates vary across regions, AI/AN people have a nearly 20% higher cancer mortality rate than white people.

 

Despite this, Native people are less likely to get life-saving cancer screening, resulting in high rates of late-stage diagnoses, which drives disproportionately high rates of cancer mortality in Indian Country.

 

Many Native communities fit the bill for groups with low cancer screening rates: long travel distances to treatment sites, lack of health insurance, and limited or no access to transportation to a medical facility.

 

Nearly half of all cancer deaths are linked to lifestyle factors, according to the American Cancer Society. Take their free risk assessment here.

To reduce your risk of cancer, the Mayo Clinic recommends eating fruits and vegetables, limiting alcohol intake, exercising regularly to maintain a healthy weight, limiting UV exposure and getting regular cancer screenings.  

 

The American Indian Cancer Foundation recommends the following screenings.