5 evidence-backed ways to reduce risk of cancer

Cancer is Singapore's most common killer, accounting for 29 per cent of deaths each year since 2015.

Even with the advent of groundbreaking cancer treatments, some cancers still remain deadly and expensive to treat. This, coupled with a barrage of news claiming that everything from bacon to viruses can cause cancer, people may feel hopeless when it comes to protecting themselves from this debilitating disease.

However, studies have shown that there are still things you can do to reduce the risk of getting several types of cancers.

Below, we explore 5 of these prevention methods.

Smoking is one of the most well-known causes of many life-threatening illnesses. Because of this, Singapore has done quite a lot to reduce smoking and has seen measurable success: only 13 per cent of the adult population smokes-one of the lowest rates among developed countries.

Cigarettes contain dozens of carcinogenic chemicals that affect not just your lungs, but your mouth, stomach, blood stream and esophagus as well.

Studies have shown a strong correlation between smoking and the development of a variety of cancers. The main carcinogenic compounds in tobacco smoke believed to be responsible for cancer are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and N-Nitrosamines. PAHs are the very same compounds that form when things like coal, oil and garbage are burned.

Furthermore, researchers from the Shanghai Cohort study tested N-nitrosamines in adult male smokers and found that these compounds correlated with an increased esophageal and lung cancer risk. Thus, not smoking decreases your intake of these compounds and may lead to a lower risk of developing these types of cancers.

Just as with smoking, there is a strong positive link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.

Many epidemiological studies show a causal link between heavy alcohol consumption and oral, liver, rectum and colon cancer. For example drinking more than 50g (about 5 standard drinks) per day resulted in a two to threefold risk of getting these cancers.

Despite these startling figures, alcohol consumption has been increasing in Singapore. The lifetime prevalence of alcohol abuse in Singapore increased from 3.1 per cent in 2010 to 4.1 per cent in 2016-a worrying trend considering alcohol's relationship with cancer.

The main reason why alcohol causes cancer stems from how your body metabolises it. When your body breaks down alcohol, it is eventually converted to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic compound that can damage proteins and DNA, potentially leading to cancerous cell mutations.

Furthermore, the effects of alcohol are long-lasting. Studies have shown that even after quitting drinking, cancer risk didn't decrease to the levels of those who never drank until a decade or more after quitting alcohol. This is in contrast to cigarette smoking, where quitting has almost immediate health benefits, such as improved blood pressure and better blood circulation.

Thus, while it may be tempting to go out and binge drink after a stressful work-week, you will really be better off in the long-run by relaxing with a non-alcoholic drink instead. If you really need to drink, we recommend sticking to the daily recommended limits. Not only that, but cutting back on your drinking can have a significant financial benefit. We found that by cutting your drink outings by half, you can save around $1,500 per year.