A Consultant with the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Dr Adebayo Oladeji, on Wednesday said youths could reduce their cancer risk by 90 per cent through healthy living, good diet and exercise.

Oladeji, who is of the Oncology Radiation Department, said this while speaking at the annual lecture of the Students Association of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development of the University of Ibadan.

The lecture was entitled “Cancer and Your Health”.

“Before cancer develops, it takes 15 years to 20 years, hence cancer that manifests at the age of 40 will have started at age 20,” he said.

The consultant stressed that 90 per cent of what causes cancer were preventable, adding that diet alone accounted for 50 per cent of the risk factors.

He listed other risk factors to include smoking, alcohol consumption and infection, especially Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).

“One can maintain a healthy lifestyle such as not smoking, not taking alcohol, eating well to prevent cancer and preventing obesity that can increase the risk of developing cancer.

“Maintaining all these will reduce the possibility of developing cancer by 90 per cent,” Oladeji said.

He said that cancer generally has common symptoms even though treatment would be based on the type of cancer detected.

“The commonest of the cancer in women is breast cancer and that of the cervix which when detected early enough can be treated immediately,” he added.

The consultant identified prostrate cancer as the commonest in men, saying symptoms include difficulties in urinating and speckling of blood in the sperm.

He advised youths to monitor their diet and ensure reduction in consumption of red meat, fat and processed food while increasing those of fruits and vegetables. (NAN)