A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease such as cancer. People can control some risk factors, such as tobacco use. Other risk factors, such as age or ethnicity, cannot be controlled. Although risk factors can influence disease, for many risk factors, it is not known whether or not they actually cause the disease directly. Risk factors help doctors identify people who may be at higher risk of developing cancer.

Understanding your risk for cancer is important. People who have close relatives with cancer or close relatives who have died from cancer, especially at a younger age, may be at higher risk. For example, a woman whose mother or sister had breast cancer is twice as likely to develop breast cancer than a woman who does not have this same family history. People who have a history of cancer may benefit from screening tests at an earlier age or on a more frequent basis. People with a known genetic syndrome in the family may consider Genetic Testing. Your doctor or a genetic counselor can help you analyze your risk of developing cancer.

Additional Resources

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) offers an interactive website, http://understandingrisk.cancer.gov, to help explain "risk", "risk factors", and "risk exposure." It helps people assess their individual risk for six common types of cancer, including possible ways to lower risk. In addition, the NCI site contains tips for people to use when weighing information they receive through the newspaper, radio, email, and Internet about possible risk factors and cancer.