Diet and Exercise

According to the American Cancer Society, one third of all yearly U.S. cancer deaths are related to diet and exercise. That has to do with the excess body weight that can result from an unhealthy diet and sedentary lifestyle. Extra pounds may be linked to as much as a fifth of all cancer-related deaths in the U.S. and may increase your risk of developing the following types of cancer:

• Breast cancer (post-menopause)
• Colorectal cancer
• Gynecologic cancers, such as that of the cervix, endometrium (uterus lining) or ovary
• Lymphoma
• Prostate cancer
• Other cancers, such as that of the esophagus, kidney, gallbladder or pancreas

That’s a big problem, since nearly 34 percent of American adults are obese. Kentucky ranks among the top 5 most obese states.

Lowering Your Risk

To lessen your diet and physical activity-related risk of developing cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends making the following lifestyle changes:

• Keep a healthy weight.
• Get active. Adults should get 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (preferably spread out) per week. Kids and teens should get at least one hour of exercise per day, with vigorous exercise at least three days a week. Avoid sedentary activities.
• Eat a healthy, plant-focused diet. This includes limiting your intake of red and processed meat, and eating whole grains, fruits and veggies.
• Limit how much alcohol you drink.

At our fitness centers, you can use exercise equipment, break a sweat in our group and specialty fitness classes, and learn more about nutrition.

We also offer weight loss and bariatric surgery programs, including advanced, minimally invasive laparoscopic and bariatric options, in addition to classes, exercise coaching, nutritional counseling and other services in a program we’ll tailor just for you.

Environmental Exposures

Skin cancer is the most common cancer type, and most cases, including basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma, are directly caused by the ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight, according to the American Cancer Society. 

Certain behaviors may increase your risk, including having had previous sunburns, spending a lot of time in the sun for recreation or living in a high-sun area.

UV radiation, a form of electromagnetic radiation, has more energy than visible light and can damage the DNA in your cells, potentially leading to cancer in the skin. The sun is the biggest source of UV radiation, but there are several manmade sources of UV rays, including tanning beds. Your risk of melanoma is 75 percent higher if you started using tanning beds before age 35, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Lowering Your Risk

Avoid excess UV exposure. You can do this by:

• Staying in the shade, when possible, on sunny days, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Covering exposed skin from the sun  and wearing a hat and sunglasses
• Using sunscreen to protect from the sun. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a broad spectrum (UVA/IVB) sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher. For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad spectrum sunscreen with and SPF of 30 or higher.
• Do not burn
• Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of 6 months
• Avoiding sunlamps or tanning beds
• Examine your skin monthly
• Have a professional skin exam done yearly by your physician

Skin cancer’s appearance can be different depending on factors such as the stage, type and location. But you should look for scaly or rough patches of skin, oozing, bleeding, sores that don’t heal and other changes, such as new spots or growths, or moles that change size or color.

If you spot any of these signs during a skin cancer self-check, report them to your doctor, who may want to perform additional screening and diagnostic procedures.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly one fifth of all cancers are related to the environment or workplace carcinogens – a substance or exposure that causes cancer.  They result in 1.3 million deaths per year, worldwide.

Some of the most common workplace exposure-related cancers are bladder cancer and lung cancer. One tenth of all lung cancer deaths may be caused by exposure to cancer causing materials, including asbestos, in the work environment.

It’s possible to lower the risk of workplace exposure-related cancers by removing carcinogenic materials from the work environment. These include asbestos, silica, radon, arsenic in water and other materials, according to the WHO.

 Other cancer-causing exposures include the UV radiation in sunlight and water, soil and air pollution. One type of air pollution is radon, a radioactive gas that occurs naturally from the break down of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Kentucky is rated by the EPA as a Zone 1 state, meaning it has the highest potential for radon exposure.

Lowering Your Risk

To avoid cancers due to air pollution, watch for air quality alerts, keep your home well-ventilated and only smoke outside, away from doors and windows. In addition, test your home, office, and schools for radon to determine your exposure risk. If your radon level is above 4 pCi/L, contact a certified radon mitigation professional.

If you’re a business owner or manager and would like more information on making work safer for your employees, please contact Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville Occupational Medicine. We provide a variety of health services, immunizations and education programs to help your employees stay healthy.

Genetic Counseling

Genetic counseling may be right for you, if you have:

• A personal or family history of cancer, including breast, colon or certain gynecologic cancers
• Multiple relatives on the same side with the same or related cancers, or a personal history of related cancers
• A personal or family history of multiple primary cancers in one individual
• Jewish ancestry and a personal or family history of any of the cancers already mentioned
•  A personal or family history of male breast cancer
• An increased risk for hereditary cancer syndrome, as indicated by an IHC screening for colon or uterine tumors
• A known genetic condition in the family (Lynch syndrome, BRCA, etc.)

What happens during a genetic counseling appointment?

During your appointment, a genetic counselor will review your family and personal medical history. The counselor will then discuss screening and management recommendations for your cancer risk.

Our Genetic Counselors

Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville's genetic counselors have specialized training in genetics and genetic conditions and have two years of graduate study in medical genetics. They’re also board-certified, or in the process of getting board-certified.