Important: This forum is not a substitute for medical care. If you have symptoms that worry you, such as a lump, unexplained weight loss, bleeding, or a persistent change in your body, see a doctor promptly. Early diagnosis saves lives. If you are being treated for cancer, your oncology team is your first source of advice.
Welcome to Cancer Prevention and Survivorship. The World Health Organisation estimates that about 38% of cancers can be prevented by avoiding known risk factors and using proven prevention methods. (WHO cancer fact sheet)
What belongs here
- Prevention: the evidence on tobacco, alcohol, body weight, diet, physical activity, sun exposure, air pollution and vaccines (HPV and hepatitis B)
- Screening and early detection: what screening exists, who it’s for, and how to talk to your doctor about it
- Survivorship: living well during and after treatment, including nutrition, exercise, fatigue, mental health and returning to work
- Stories: survivors and carers sharing their own journeys, labelled as personal experience
Ground rules
- Treatment decisions belong with your oncologist. We don’t discuss or recommend treatment plans for individuals.
- No “miracle cures”. Posts that promote alternative treatments as a replacement for medical care, or encourage anyone to delay or stop treatment, are removed.
- Nothing for sale. No promotion of supplements, clinics, diets or products claiming to treat or prevent cancer.
- Evidence or experience, labelled. Link a reliable source for scientific claims, or say clearly that it’s your own experience. One person’s story is valuable, but it isn’t proof that something works for everyone.
- Kindness first. Many readers here are frightened or grieving. Disagree with ideas, gently, and never with the person.
If a post worries you, please flag it (the ⚑ icon), and the moderators will review it.
Disclaimer: Content here is for education and discussion only. It isn’t medical advice and doesn’t replace care from qualified professionals. Survivor stories describe individual experiences and are not treatment recommendations.