Cancer Risk: Understanding the Puzzle

Colorectal Cancer — Step 3: Take Action To Reduce Your Colorectal Cancer Risk

While no one can say you will never get cancer, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk. Screening is a way to check for cancer when there are no symptoms. Very effective screening tests are available for colorectal cancer.

What You Can Do

The two most important things you can do to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer are to get screened regularly and to follow your doctor's recommendations for follow-up. Your doctor will tell you which screening test is most appropriate for you.

Find out more:
Screening tests for colorectal cancer New screening tests being studied	Colorectal cancer genetics	Symptoms of colorectal cancer

Colorectal Cancer Risk Reduction Action Tool
Below are risk factors for colorectal cancer. Select the ones you want to work on and to put on your risk reduction list. After you build your list, you can print it out and take it to your doctor to discuss your action plan.

Colorectal Cancer Risk Factor	What Can I Do To Reduce This Risk?	Select Items To Put On My Risk Reduction Action List
Age	Follow your doctor’s recommendations for screening.
Race or ethnicity	Follow your doctor’s recommendations for screening.
Colorectal polyps	Follow your doctor’s recommendations for screening.
Family history of colorectal cancer	Follow your doctor’s recommendations for screening. Talk to your doctor to see if you should be screened more often.
Genetic alterations	Talk to your doctor for specific recommendations about these conditions.
Personal history of colorectal cancer	Follow your doctor’s recommendations for follow-up.
Inflammatory bowel disease (such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)	Follow your doctor’s recommendations for screening and follow-up.
Diet	Reduce your fat intake to 20 to 35 percent of your total calories each day.
	Maintain a healthy weight.
	Reduce the amount of alcohol you drink. Women should have no more than 1 drink per day and men should have no more than 2 drinks per day.
	Eat less meat (both red and white).
	Ask your doctor if you are getting enough calcium and folate in your diet, and if not, how to increase the amounts.
Cigarette smoking	Stop smoking.
Sedentary lifestyle	Get moderate to vigorous exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week.

A Service of the National Cancer Institute