Educational Resources

While misinformation abounds on the internet, there are reliable sources of information about cancer that you can trust. We have collected a list of the top authorities on cancer as reliable, evidence-based sources of general information about the disease and its prevention.

Answers to common cancer questions

What are the major risk factors for cancer?

Risk

Your risk for cancer is determined by a number of different factors, some of which are within your control and some of which, like age or genetics, are beyond your control. If you want to explore these factors in greater depth, The World Cancer Research Fund and the National Cancer Institute at the National Institute…

How can I reduce my risk of cancer?

Alcohol Diet Exercise Risk

Obesity is linked to several kinds of cancer. Maintain a healthy weight for your height through a nutritious diet and regular exercise. See the “American Cancer Society Guideline for Diet and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention” by the American Cancer Society. Try to fit exercise into your everyday life in a way that works for…

Arm bagging spinach at a farmer's market

How does something get labeled a carcinogen?

Risk

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) determines whether exposures, compounds, nutrients, occupations, and other exposures are likely to cause cancer. They divide potential cancer-causing exposures into groupings based on the strength of the scientific evidence. The IARC rating system is different than what is presented in the Cancer FactFinder because it considers a…

Person working in a lab...just their gloved hands and forearms in a white coat are visible.

Can I reduce my risk through diet?

Diet

In a word, yes! You don’t have to have a perfect diet. You don’t have to eat only organic food. Experts in cancer prevention at trusted organizations like the World Cancer Research Fund and MD Anderson Cancer Center provide practical advice for reducing your cancer risk through nutrition. See the following websites: Diet | MD…

How much regular exercise will reduce my cancer risk?

Exercise

Cancer prevention experts such as the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommend regular physical movement to reduce your risk of cancer. This doesn’t mean that you have to become a gym rat! But you should try to exercise regularly and avoid a sedentary lifestyle (one in which…

What are the connections between alcohol consumption and cancer risk?

Alcohol

You may have heard at times that there are health benefits to alcohol, particularly for cardiovascular health. And yet there are many stories in the news about how drinking can be bad for your health. It can be confusing! When it comes to cancer, the evidence is clear. Any amount of any type of alcohol…

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Additional Resources

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Tobacco, Cannabis, and Cancer

The link between tobacco and cancer is well known, but what about smokeless tobacco? And cannabis use? See below for more information, and for resources for quitting or reducing your…

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Infections and cancer

Is there a link between infections and cancer? Do vaccines play a role in cancer prevention? See below for articles about infections that are linked to cancer, and tips for…

activities diet HPV 10 more

Resources for kids and families

Check out these resources below for cancer prevention information for your growing family. Many organizations like those listed below have activities that help teach children healthy habits. Child Activity: An…

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Exercise & weight management

What is the link between physical activity and cancer? Exactly how much regular exercise is needed to reduce your risk for cancer? The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines…

cookbooks cooking diet 5 more

Diet & cancer risk

How can you reduce your risk of cancer through your diet? A cancer-prevention diet is rich in fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, legumes and nuts. To lower your…

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Environmental exposures

Certain factors in our environment, such as air pollution or tobacco smoke, can increase our risk of cancer. While you can’t control every aspect of your surroundings, you can take…

General resources

General information about cancer Consult these trusted sources for general information about cancer and cancer prevention. American Association for Cancer Research American Institute for Cancer Research American Cancer Society Cancer…

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Alcohol & cancer risk

For many years, people believed that light drinking could offer some health benefits. But we now know that, in terms of cancer, health risks outweigh health benefits. For example, when…

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Helpful tools and apps

Try these tools and apps for help on your cancer prevention journey. Determining your cancer risk My Family Health Portrait Cancer app | U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention & Control…

Misinformation in the news

“Do Cell Phones Cause Cancer? Experts Explain the Latest Science”

You might wonder if your cell phone could give you cancer? Read about this common idea in this Prevention article.

“The Truth About Sun Exposure: Doctor Sets the Record Straight amid Influencer Misinformation”

Misinformation about sun protection abounds. Read about common misconceptions about sun protection in this People magazine article.

Set of hands that are clearly a doctor (white coat) talking to a patient.

Confronting a Rising Tide of Cancer Misinformation

Confronting a Rising Tide of Cancer Misinformation As patients take to social media for medical advice, doctors’ empathy and trust-building skills are more important than ever, says oncologist Samyukta Mullangi, in this article by Harvard Magazine.

Woman on a couch, holding a writing utensil and a booklet, looking like she's about to take a quiz.

Cancer claims are everywhere. Which to trust?

Take this research-based quiz about cancer risk written by Sy Boles for the Harvard Gazette.

Hands looking at a cell phone that says FAKE over the news the person is reading.

The Misinformation Susceptibility Test

‘Very online’ Gen Z and millenials are most susceptible to fake news, writes journalist Fred Lewsy about a study from researchers at the University of Cambridge.

Woman holding phone with social media symbols floating in the air above it.

Cancer misinformation outperforms medical facts on social media, study finds

“When it comes to information related to cancer, misinformation shared on social media often has more reach than medical facts, according to a study published in the American Cancer Society Journals. Dr. Stacy Loeb, one of the study’s authors, joins “The Daily Report” to discuss.“

Person holding smart phone seated next to a laptop.

The Cancer Misinformation Train: When Influencers Co-Opt Care

Journalist Christina Szalinski writes about patients getting health information from social media in this November 2025 article from Medscape.

How gets something labeled as a carcinogen*?

*(A substance that causes cancer)

The IARC rating system is different than what is presented in the Cancer FactFinder because it considers a scientific review of specific exposures and occupations, while the FactFinder focuses on fewer topics that may be of interest to the general public, including topics that may represent misinformation.

The information provided by IARC may be difficult for the general public to understand, but it represents the best evidence available about whether a risk factor or exposure is related to cancer or not. Most of the topics studied by IARC are not in the FactFinder.

If you are exposed to anything on the IARC list that is likely to cause cancer, it does not mean you will get cancer. It only means that there is evidence that you might be at increased risk of getting cancer, that we are not sure if the exposure causes cancer, and that more cancers would likely be seen in populations that are exposed. IARC does not have a category for “definitely does not cause cancer,” but the agency does note when a chemical has been well-studied without finding evidence that it causes cancer.

Usually, exposures are thought to cause one or more specific cancer types. For example, there is no doubt that cigarette smoking can cause lung cancer, so tobacco smoking is listed in “Group 1” as “carcinogenic to humans.”

Some things on the list are exposures we have all had: for example, sun exposure is known to cause skin cancer and is listed by IARC in Group 1. However, some sun exposure can have benefits (like getting enough vitamin D) and being out in the sun for exercise has health benefits, too. Therefore, the IARC groupings are not guidelines: they do not tell us if or when some limited exposure to things on the list may be OK, or how to guide our choices to weigh risks and benefits from the exposure.

See the IARC rating system