Managing your cancer risk is an integral part of cancer prevention. At Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, we can help you manage your cancer risk through cancer screenings, learning your family history, and helping you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Manage Your Cancer Risk
Get screened for cancer.
Sylvester offers the latest cancer screening options for a wide variety of cancers. Learn more.
Watch your diet and exercise regularly.
What you eat plays an important part in preventing some cancers. Similarly, staying active and maintaining a healthy body weight lowers your risk of developing many kinds of cancer.
Understand what is in your environment.
Some substances - in the air, food, and water we take in, or in the case of some professions, like firefighters, the jobs we perform - can cause cancer after prolonged exposure. When you can, limit or avoid exposure to cancer-causing agents and chemicals, such as asbestos, pesticides, fertilizers, etc. Learn more from the NIH.
Know your family history.
Understanding family health history — including the history of different cancers and genetic factors — can play a role in helping prevent cancer. Families of certain ethnicities may be at a higher risk for particular cancers. Talk to your primary care provider to learn more.
Learn about your risk of infections.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer, while hepatitis B and C increase the risk of developing liver cancer, and the Epstein-Barr virus increases the risk of developing lymphoma. Understanding and monitoring these infections can help prevent the development of certain kinds of cancer.
Limit alcohol consumption.
Drinking alcohol - regularly or in heavy amounts - increases your risk of developing certain cancers. Consistent alcohol consumption weakens your body's ability to absorb some nutrients that could help fight cancer growth. Alcohol is a risk factor for:
- breast cancer
- colorectal cancer
- esophageal cancer
- cancers of the mouth, throat, and larynx
- liver cancer
Smoking cessation.
A history of smoking is a risk factor for developing many kinds of cancer, especially lung cancer. Quitting smoking can help lower the risk of these cancers.
Protect yourself against the sun.
Sun and UV light exposure, including sunburns, tanning beds, and prolonged outdoor activities without sunscreen, increase the risk of developing skin cancer. Sun protection helps lower the chance of developing skin cancer.
Why Choose Us?
The benefits of care from a NCI-designated cancer center. Sylvester is one of only two cancer centers in Florida that have been recognized by the National Cancer Institute. The team earned this distinction through its outstanding work conducting research in its laboratories, treating patients, and supporting our communities with innovative prevention strategies.
Multidisciplinary care teams provide nationally-recognized expertise. Your team includes your physician scientists, radiation oncologists, oncology-trained dietitians, social workers, certified genetic counselors (including pediatric genetic counselors), and nurse navigators who help coordinate your care through every step of your journey. Your team talks to each other face-to-face regularly and plans the proper care for you and your specific cancer with bench-to-bedside research, innovation, and personalized care.
And you can expect that caliber of care in years to come. Sylvester is focused on training the next generation of doctors, offering the only gynecologic oncology fellowship in South Florida through the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Only center in South Florida with a specialty endocrine testing center. We provide greater accuracy in your diagnosis, leading to more precise treatments and better results. Located at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, the center staffs specialized nurses and technical assistants who perform complex hormone tests.
Radiology excellence. Sylvester’s breast cancer screening program earned the Breast Imaging Center of Excellence designation by the American College of Radiology. Our team is also the region’s first high-risk lung cancer screening program, recognized by the American College of Radiology and the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer.
Diagnostic support catered to women. Our obstetrics and gynecology experts provide research-backed care tailored specifically for each woman. We help make care more convenient by offering the latest diagnostic tests for fast results for women of all ages.