4 March 2021: The American Code Against Cancer

The American Code Against Cancer focuses on actions that individuals can take to help prevent cancer. Successful cancer prevention also requires supportive governmental policies and actions. Following these recommendations reduces cancer risk from 30-40%, and should produce substantial progress towards our strategic plan goal of reducing annual US cancer deaths from 600,000 to 100,000.

1. Do not smoke or use any form of tobacco.
2. Make your home smoke free.
3. Try to achieve a healthy body weight with a BMI of 25 or less.
4. Be physically active.
5. Have a healthy diet based on vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Limit sugar, fat, processed meat and red meat.
6. If you drink alcohol, limit your intake. Not drinking alcohol reduces your cancer risk.
7. Avoid too much sun, especially for children. Use sun protection. Do not use sunbeds.
8. Protect yourself against cancer causing substances in the workplace by following health and safety instructions.
9. Check that your residence does not have high radon levels.

10. For adults:
* Get a physical exam every 1-2 years to detect possible problems, discuss risk prevention and get needed tests, screenings and vaccinations.
* Get a one time screening for Hepatitis C if you were born between 1945 and 1965.
* Get an annual lung screening if you are a current or former heavy smoker age 55-80.
11. For adult women:
* Breastfeed your baby, if you can, to reduce your cancer risk.
* Limit use of hormone replacement therapy.
* Get screened for colon cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer.
12. For adult men:
* Get screened for colon cancer.
13. For children:
* Get vaccinated for Hepatitis B and HPV to reduce cancer risk.

I have drafted this American Code Against Cancer based on the European Code AgainstCancer with modifications from the Centers for Disease Control-Lung Cancer Screening and the American Cancer Society-Liver cancer.

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