Cancer is not nearly the monster that it once was, as we have discovered many things we can do to lower our risks of getting cancer, as well as many more effective treatment options.  In this article, in order to help understand what we can do to fight off the disease, we'll examine what causes cancer and what puts one person more at risk than other person.  Here, then, are some of the most significant causes and risk factors:

• Physical inactivity.  People who do not exercise or engage in physical activity have a greater risk of getting cancer than those who do.  A person who exercises a minimum of 30 minutes each day, five days a week significantly lowers his chance of getting cancer.  These exercises could include things such as aerobics, yoga, walking or running.

• Tobacco.  It's estimated that about 30 percent of all cancer-related deaths in the United States are attributable to tobacco. In the case of lung cancer, an astounding 87 percent of the cases are directly linked to tobacco--and most of these to cigarette smoking.  It's also connected with kidney, stomach, pancreatic, and other cancers. Anyone who quits smoking almost immediately lowers his chance of getting cancer.

• Environment.  If a person is exposed to the wrong substances, he can increase his chances of getting cancer.  For instance, asbestos is known to cause several medical problems, including some forms of cancer.  By taking himself out of this environment or at least wearing protective clothing, this person in this environment improves his odds.

• Careless Sex.  If a person practices unsafe sex, he is more likely to develop the HPV virus (actually a collection of many viruses), which stands for "Human Papilloma Virus."  This then increases the person's chances of getting cervical, vaginal or vulvar cancer.  Safe sex leads to a lower cancer risk.

• Exposure to the Sun.  Ultraviolet rays are not healthy for the skin.  Keep in mind that both sunburns and tans are actually signs of skin-cell damage.  This can lead to skin cancer, and in worst-case scenarios, to melanoma.  These are highly-preventable forms of cancer.  A person should acquire the habits of wearing sunscreen outside, and staying indoors between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.  This is when the sun's rays are at their strongest.

• Poor diet.  In many forms of cancer, the risk of acquiring the disease seems to go up with wrong eating practices.  Therefore it's never a bad idea to remove as much animal fat from your diet as possible, and to start a practice of eating healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables each day.

• Genetics.  This is the one area where we have no control over the risk factor.  People with family members who have had a specific kind of cancer, such as breast cancer or melanoma, are more likely to get it themselves.  However, keep in mind that even with a family history, your odds of getting the disease are not necessarily high, especially if you take other preventative measures in the areas that you can control.