WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS? Risk factors simply means conditions or habits that increase your chances of developing a disease. For cancer, they include: - Smoking and tobacco use: 85% of lung cancer cases is due to tobacco smoke. It is also responsible for throat and mouth cancers. - Excessive alcohol: Over consumption of alcohol increases the risk of liver, breast and colorectal cancers. - Obesity and unhealthy diet: Being obese is a risk factor for not just cancer, but a lot of chronic diseases. Additionally, unhealthy food choices can make us gain weight over time, further feeding the cycle. - HPV infection: Human papilloma virus is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. High risk strains of this virus are responsible for cervical cancer. - Family history: Some cancers run in families, and so it is important to be aware of them and ways of prevention. - Chronic infections like hepatitis B and C; increases risk of liver cancer.