New cancer screening tool launched in Hamilton
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A new province wide cancer screening tool launched in Hamilton today. It’s called “My CancerIQ” and it helps users calculate their risk for four major types of cancer. Its a simple online survey that can tell you what’s increasing your risk and how to change it.
At mycanceriq.ca you can calculate your risk for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer, all at the click of a button. Hamiltonians put the program to the test today. Certain risk factors, like family history, height and age are unchangeable, but users quickly learned how many different elements contribute to cancer risk.
To calculate breast cancer risk, for example, mycanceriq asks users about drinking habits, and physical activity. “You’ll go through all your habits, your family history and from that you’ll be given… a prescription for what would be healthier habits for you to reduce your risk” says Dr. Meghan Davis from Cancer Care Ontario. That prescription includes a risk level of low, medium or high compared with others your age. The site gives you a report card on how your habits and lifestyle are helping or hurting your cancer risk. “More importantly is they give you concrete suggestions as to how to reduce your risk of getting cancer” says Dr. Davis.
Depending on the cancer, those suggestions include exercising 30 minutes a day, eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, quitting smoking or taking vitamins. Considering 50 per cent of cancers are preventable, it’s worth knowing what you can do.
