Be more active

Sitting less and moving more can help to prevent cancer. There’s evidence that exercise may even help stop some cancers, such as breast cancer, from returning.

The Cancer Institute NSW recommends one hour of moderate activity or 30 minutes of vigorous activity every day.

Doing this can help reduce a person’s cancer risk and they’ll live a healthier life.

The difference between moderate and vigorous exercise:

• Moderate activity raises your heart rate.
• Vigorous exercise makes your heart beat even faster, and you puff or breathe rapidly.

Remember that people may find it hard to fit the recommended amount of exercise into their day. It’s okay for them to start small and build up to more activity.

Find out more about staying active >

Quit smoking

Smoking is the largest cause of preventable disease and death in NSW. 

In NSW, around 6,700 deaths (in 2018) and more than 62,900 hospitalisations were attributed to smoking from 2018 to 2019. 

Quitting smoking can be hard, but every step takes a person closer to quitting smoking for good and improving their health. 

It’s one of the most effective things a person can do to reduce their cancer risk and live a longer, healthier life. No matter how long a person’s been smoking, quitting is a positive thing for their health.

Eat healthier

A person can reduce their risk of cancer by making healthy changes to the types of food they eat.

Encourage people to eat more of these foods that help to prevent 10 types of cancer:

• vegetables
• fruit
• wholegrain cereals and wholemeal foods
• legumes and beans.

When considering cost, frozen or in-season vegetables and fruit are usually cheaper.

Also talk about these foods, which can raise the risk of cancer:

• processed meat
• too much red meat.

Even small changes can make a big difference. For example, you could encourage someone to swap out sweet biscuits for a sweet apple. 

Find more tips about eating well >

Drink less alcohol

Alcohol causes more than 3,200 cancer cases in Australia each year.

Every drink increases the risk of getting alcohol-related cancer. There is no level of drinking that is completely safe.

People cutting down should work towards drinking less than 10 standard drinks over a week.

Find more tips about drinking less alcohol >

Protect your skin from UV rays

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. It’s also the most common cancer affecting young Australians.

Being exposed to UV radiation causes more than 95% of skin cancers.

These are the five main ways to protect from UV:

1. Wear protective clothing.
2. Apply SPF 50+ sunscreen.
3. Put on a broad-brimmed hat.
4. Seek shade.
5. Wear sunglasses.

People with all skin types or tones are at risk of skin cancer and should protect their skin. 

Your eyes are also vulnerable to damage from UV radiation, so always protect your eyes from the sun.

Your doctor can help you work out how much sun exposure you need for vitamin D if you have dark skin, while still protecting your skin from UV.

Learn how to identify your skin type >

Find and treat Hepatitis B and C

Hepatitis B and C are viruses that can damage the liver causing inflammation and scarring.

They are spread through contact with an infected person’s blood.  

Hepatitis B and C can both be treated effectively. Hepatitis C can even be cured. But if left untreated, they can lead to liver failure or liver cancer.

Chronic infection with hepatitis B or C is more common in Aboriginal people and their risk of developing liver cancer is higher.¹

It’s important to find hepatitis B or C early to reduce the risk of developing cancer, but often people don’t know they have it because they may have no symptoms.

Encourage your clients to get a hepatitis B blood test, which can find out if your client:

• has chronic hepatitis B and needs more care
• has had a vaccination 
• is protected by vaccination. 

Also yarn to your patients about knowing their hepatitis C risk. They should ask their doctor if they should test for hepatitis C.

There are also some other causes of liver damage and liver cancer that your client should know about. These include:

• drinking too much alcohol
• being overweight or obese
• smoking cigarettes
• having diabetes
• some other health conditions. 

Find more resources and information:

• at Hepatitis NSW 
• in NSW Health’s Hepatitis B fact sheet and Hepatitis C fact sheet
• by calling the Hepatitis Infoline on 1800 803 990.
  
  

Stay up to date with vaccinations

Staying up to date with vaccinations is an important part of keeping your body strong.

There are 2 recommended vaccinations that prevent infections that can cause cancer. These are the:

• HPV vaccine
• Hepatitis B vaccine.

HPV Vaccine

The vaccine is called Gardasil 9 and it protects against 7 human papillomavirus (HPV) types that cause around 90% of cervical cancers.

Who gets the HPV vaccine?

• The best time to have the HPV vaccination is before a person becomes sexually active.
• It’s available through the National HPV Vaccination Program where girls and boys aged 12–13 are offered the vaccine for free in schools, as a single injection.
• Girls and boys aged up to 25 who missed out on the vaccine at school can obtain the vaccine for free from their local doctor or nurse as part of the ongoing program.

Do HPV-vaccinated people still need a Cervical Screening Test?

Yes, HPV-vaccinated women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25–74 still need to have a Cervical Screening Test every 5 years.

The HPV vaccine protects against some (but not all) types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer.

Hepatitis B vaccine

The Hepatitis B vaccine is a safe and effective way to protect you from hepatitis B (an infection linked to liver cancer).

Who gets the Hepatitis B vaccine?

• Children are offered the Hepatitis B vaccine free as part of the National Immunisation Program. Children get four injections – one on the day they are born, one when 2 months old, one when 4 months old and one when 6 months old.
• If you’re an adult, you get three injections scheduled over a few months.

Is there anything else you need to do?

No. Most people who have all the jabs will have protection for life.²

Encourage your clients to:

• Ask at their local clinic if they are vaccinated or how they could get their jabs done.