What’s Your Cancer IQ?

More than 1.7 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2019. When it comes to fighting this all-too-common disease, knowledge is power. Test your cancer IQ with the following questions, then check to see how well you did below.

  1. True or False? If you get cancer, it’s usually because someone in your family had it.
  2. True or False? Heavy drinking can increase your risk of cancer.
  3. True or False? Artificial sweeteners can cause cancer.
  4. True or False? Your have about a 1 in 3 chance of being diagnosed with cancer during your lifetime.
  5. True or False? Regular exercise can lower your chance of getting cancer.
  6. True or False? A woman doesn’t need to have a mammogram after menopause.
  1. False. Only 5 to 10 percent of cancers can be linked to genes from parents.
  2. True. The more you drink, the higher your risk for mouth, liver, colon, breast and other cancers.
  3. False. There is currently no evidence that shows a link between artificial sweeteners, such as saccharin, with cancer.
  4. True. This risk is actually slightly higher: 38.4 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetimes.
  5. True. Regular exercise, healthy eating, managing your weight and not smoking all make it less likely you will have cancer.
  6. False. About 2 out of 3 invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 and older.

Sources: American Cancer Society, American Institute for Cancer Research