Having Kids Later Can Reduce Cancer Risk A study this year at the Keck School of Medicine at USC found women who give birth after age 40 lower their risk of endometrial cancer by a whopping 44% compared to those who have their last birth before 25. Women who have their last child between 30 and 34 enjoy 17% less risk of this cancer than the under-25 group.
Diabetes Drugs May Lead to More Bladder Cancer A medicine that type 2 diabetics often take, called pioglitazone, may increase their risk of bladder cancer, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. It's long been known that diabetes increases the risk of bladder cancer, but this study tied some of that risk to this medication. If you're on it, you might ask your doctor about a substitute that will work as well for you.
Even Low-Intensity Exercise Cuts Breast Cancer Risk Women who exercised either pre- or post-menopause had less chance of contracting breast cancer, in a study published this year by the American Cancer Society. Exercising 10 to 19 hours a week, even at low intensity, conferred the greatest benefit, a 30% reduction in risk. The bad news: gaining a significant amount of weight can cancel out the effect of exercise.
Fruits and Vegetables Slash Risk of Colo-Rectal Cancer We've long known that eating a plant-based diet can keep your colon healthy. Now a recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that eating certain fruits and vegetables can cut the risk of cancer in particular sections of the colon. For example, eating apples and dark yellow vegetables reduces risk of cancer in the distal colon, while eating broccoli and cabbage reduces the risk of proximal colon cancer. Steer clear of fruit juices, though, which increase the risk of rectal cancer.
Taller Women Are More Susceptible to Cancer Okay, I saved the strangest one for last. Researchers at Oxford University discovered that for every four-inch increase in height, a woman's risk of cancer rises 16%. This seems to be a generalized vulnerability, resulting in more cancers of the uterus, ovaries, bowel and breast as well as melanoma and leukemia. Scientists hope that discovering why this is so could lead to understanding of how cancer develops. If you could, would you be willing to be shorter to reduce cancer risk?
