Dr. Ashwin K.R., a distinguished expert in Surgical Oncology at Aster Whitefield Hospital explains what cancer risk is and the different factors that can affect a person's chance of developing cancer. There are two main categories of risk factors: non-modifiable and modifiable.

Non-modifiable factors are those that a person cannot control, such as age, family history, and menstrual history. Modifiable factors, on the other hand, are those that a person can influence through lifestyle choices. Some of the most important modifiable risk factors are smoking, alcohol intake, obesity, physical inactivity, and precancerous viruses.

The specific risk factors for women, include having a child after 35, not having children, not breastfeeding for more than a year, and hormone replacement therapy for more than 3 years after menopause.

For further information, consult the Department of Oncology at Aster Whitefield Hospital.