Protecting Your Long-Term Health
Reducing Cancer Risk
What Is Cancer?
Your body is made up of trillions of cells. Throughout your lifetime, those cells will grow, divide to form new cells, and eventually die. Normally, this life cycle of cells goes smoothly, but sometimes abnormal cells develop. When these abnormal cells grow rapidly and without control, they can invade other tissues of the body.
Cancer is a term for the diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade other tissues. When abnormal cells build up in the body, they form a mass known as a tumor. The presence alone of a tumor does not mean that a person has cancer. In fact, there are two kinds of tumors: benign and malignant. A benign tumor is one that grows slowly and is surrounded by a membrane. Although benign tumors are not cancerous, they can still affect health by interfering with normal body function. The other type of tumor is considered cancerous. Malignant tumors spread to other parts of the body where they can form new tumors.
There are more than one hundred types of cancers, but they are grouped into several main categories.
| Carcinoma | Cancer that develops in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs |
| Sarcoma | Cancer that develops in the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue |
| Leukemia | Cancer that develops in blood-forming tissue, such as bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood |
| Lymphoma and Myeloma | Cancer that develops in the cells of the immune system |
| Central Nervous System Cancers | Cancer that develops in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord |
Cancer Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies
No one can predict with absolute certainty who will develop cancer. Sometimes it may seem that avoiding cancer is a matter of luck and there is little you can do. While some cancers may not be preventable, there are several strategies you can integrate into your daily life that may reduce your risk of developing certain kinds of cancers. In this interactivity, click each of the images to learn more about risk factors for cancer and prevention strategies. Click the player button to begin.
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Protecting Your Vision, Hearing, and Dental Health
Your vision, hearing, and dental health are important aspects of your quality of life. Many people who lack vision or hearing can thrive in life as much as anyone else. Taking care of the sensitive organs involved in vision and hearing involves easy steps that can protect your overall health. Additionally, strong oral hygiene is essential to staying healthy for everyone. In this interactivity, click the notes on the bulletin board to learn more about protecting your vision, hearing, and dental health. Click the player button to begin.
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Protecting Your Long-Term Health Review
Now that you have explored how to protect your long-term health regarding cancer prevention and maintaining vision, hearing, and dental health, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read the statements and decide whether they are true or false. Click the player button to get started.