- See Tropics for the Tropic of Cancer.
Cancer is a worrisome risk among travellers. There are foods, beverages, attractions, and even whole cities and villages that are known to cause cancer among travellers due to the presence of carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) in them. Although there's no proper cure for cancer yet, it can be successfully treated if detected early enough.
Therefore, travellers should take precautions while travelling to cancer-prone areas, or consuming food with known cancer risks.
Understand
[edit]Cancer is a family of over 100 diseases involving uncontrolled cell growth, which typically result in tumours that potentially spread to other parts of the body. Although many cancer deaths are caused by smoking, alcohol consumption or obesity, there are other reasons that are more relevant to travellers, including but not limited to:
- Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight,
- Presence of pollutants in air or water,
- Infection with certain viruses, bacteria or parasites,
- Consumption of processed meat and red meat,
- Staying in older buildings or hotels that still have asbestos,
and so on.
General precautions
[edit]There is no "one-size-fits-all" solution to prevent travellers from having cancer. But there are a few general precautions to take, as recommended by medical experts.
- Limit alcohol intake,
- Maintain a healthy weight,
- Limit exposure to direct sunlight,
- Wear N95 or surgical mask while visiting cities with poor air quality (like Delhi),
- Vaccinate against infectious diseases that cause cancer,
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains,
- Limit intake of processed meat and red meat,
and so on.