Dr. Jenna LeComte-Hinely of Health Assessment and Research for Communities identifies the risk of cancer based on different demographics. Valley News/Courtesy photo
Dr. Jenna LeComte-Hinely,Health Assessment and Research for CommunitiesAn important part of cancer prevention is knowing your personal level of risk. While there is no way to tell with absolute certainty whether you will develop cancer, doctors do know that age, gender, race and ethnicity are useful in gauging the level of risk each patient faces. Individuals who are at higher risk based on their demographics should increase the frequency of their cancer screenings.AgeIncreasing age is the most important risk factor for cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. The majority of new cancer cases strike older adults; in fact, about half of all new cancer cases are found in individuals between the ages of 55 and 74. Cancer is relatively rare for young people; only 3.7
