Does having a risk factor mean I will get cancer?
No. A risk factor raises a person's chances of getting cancer, but it does not mean that cancer is certain.
The National Cancer Institute explains that we usually cannot know exactly why one person gets cancer and another does not. Research has shown that certain risk factors may raise a person's chances. These include contact with certain chemicals or substances, certain behaviors, and things people cannot control, such as age and family history.
Some risk factors can be avoided. Others, such as growing older, cannot. Limiting your contact with the ones you can avoid may lower your risk of certain cancers.
It is also worth knowing where some of these findings come from. Some come from studies that cannot, on their own, prove that a behavior or substance causes cancer. That is one reason news reports can lead to wrong ideas about how cancer starts.
A health care team can help you understand which risk factors apply to you, and what steps, if any, make sense for your situation.
Want the full picture? Read our complete explanation: What Causes Cancer? Understanding Risk Factors
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