Cancer Prevention

The Five Steps of a Breast Self-Exam

Step 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

Here's what you should look for:

  • Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color
  • Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling

If you see any of the following changes, bring them to your doctor's attention:

HPV Vaccine - Questions & Answers

HPV vaccine prevents infection with the most harmful kinds of human papillomavirus (also called HPV). HPV vaccine is safe, effective, and can protect people from most of the cancers caused by HPV and genital warts.
 

About HPV

Q: How many types of HPV are there?
A: There are more than 40 HPV types that can infect the genital areas of males and females. These HPV types can also infect the mouth and throat. Most people who become infected with HPV do not know they have it.

Are parabens and phthalates harmful in makeup and lotions?

Should you worry about the chemicals in your makeup, lotion, shaving cream, soap and shampoo? The answer is a clear maybe.

Why maybe? That’s because some critics suspect that chemicals such as phthalates and parabens can interfere with the body’s hormones, most notably reproductive hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. The possible health risks could include chronic diseases, cancers and a host of developmental disorders and fertility problems.

New formaldehyde report supports EPA's assessment that chemical is 'human carcinogen'

WASHINGTON -- The ongoing debate about the risks of formaldehyde is intensifying in light of a new report by the National Academy of Sciences that said the Environmental Protection Agency's labeling of the chemical as a "human carcinogen" is supported by research.

The report, issued earlier this month, was a reversal from the academy's 2011 study, requested by Sen. David Vitter, R-La., which found EPA's findings went beyond available evidence and "needs substantial revision."

Expanding waistlines will cause 3,500 more cancers each year, study finds

Around 12,000 cancers a year are caused by people being overweight, according to a study which scientists hope will inspire more action to curb the obesity epidemic.

The study, published in the Lancet medical journal, is the biggest of its kind, involving data from 5 million UK adults. It finds that excess weight is linked to 10 different cancers, including cervical cancer, breast cancer and leukaemia.

63% of Americans Actively Avoid Soda

Americans are finally starting to realize the dangers of soda, with nearly two-thirds (63 percent) saying they actively try to avoid soda in their diet, a new Gallup poll revealed.1

This is a significant increase from 2002, when only 41 percent were trying to avoid soda, and a clear sign that, as TIME reported, “the soda craze is going flat.”2

Soda Consumption Falls to Lowest Level in Decades

How can I green up my back-to-school shopping?

Q. Well, it’s that time of the year again: back-to-school season. I’ve been trying to figure out how to reduce my impact when shopping for school supplies and during the overall year. What are some ways I can green up this school year?

Jason
Gaithersburg, Md.

A. Dearest Jason,

Colgate Total Ingredient Linked to Hormones, Cancer Spotlights FDA Process

The chemical triclosan has been linked to cancer-cell growth and disrupted development in animals. Regulators are reviewing whether it’s safe to put in soap, cutting boards and toys. Consumer companies are phasing it out. Minnesota voted in May to ban it in many products.

At the same time, millions of Americans are putting it in their mouths every day, by way of a top-selling toothpaste that uses the antibacterial chemical to head off gum disease -- Colgate-Palmolive Co.’s Total.

Easy-to-make All-Purpose Non-Toxic Cleaning Product

I’m interested in preventive measures when it comes to the health and the well-being of my family, and in my home office. Since home is where many of us spend 90% of our time, it’s a good idea to make the indoor environment as toxin free as possible. We can’t control what’s happening outside but we can when it comes to the indoors.

Beauty products and cancer: Are you at risk?

Have you been unknowingly increasing your cancer risk for the sake of beauty? It depends on what products you use.

“There are concerns with beauty products that contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). These chemicals may interfere with your hormonal system,” says Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., MD Anderson professor and director of the Integrative Medicine Program. 

“While a direct link between EDCs and cancer is not yet definitive, certain cancers are hormonally-driven,” Cohen explains. They include breast, prostate, ovarian and endometrial cancers.

Pages