Causes of cancer and reducing your risk
What's my cancer risk?
Try our interactive health quiz to find out how to reduce your risk of cancer.
Smoking
Smoking is the most important preventable cause of cancer in the world.
Obesity and weight
Obesity is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking.
Sun and UV
Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or sunbeds is the main cause of skin cancer.
Diet and healthy eating
Eating a healthy balanced diet can play an important role in reducing your risk of cancer.
Physical activity
Around 3,400 cases of cancer in the UK each year could be prevented by keeping active.
Infections (such as HPV)
You can’t catch cancer, but some infections such as HPV can increase your risk.
Air pollution and radon gas
Although exposure to air pollution can be linked to cancer, for a person in the UK the risk is fairly low.
Workplace causes of cancer
Some jobs can affect people’s risk of cancer, or may have done in the past.
Inherited genes
Some inherited faulty genes can increase your risk of cancer.
Age and cancer
Although cancer can occur at any age, it is much more common in older people.
Find a clinical trial
Search our clinical trials database for all cancer trials and studies recruiting in the UK
Cancer Chat forum
Talk to other people affected by cancer
Nurse helpline
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Questions about cancer? Call freephone or email us