Reduce your risk publications

While we do not know everything about how to prevent and treat cancer we have learned a lot over the years on the subject.

It is now clear that you can reduce your risk of cancer hugely by following the European Code against Cancer. Knowing the signs and symptoms of cancer is also important and attending screening programmes helps you to spot it early. It is also important to get to know your body and check it for change that could be cancer. Spotting cancer makes a real difference to you chance of surviving a diagnosis.

The booklets, leaflets, factsheets, posters and other resources listed below provide information on:

1. How to reduce your risk of developing a variety of cancers
2. How to spot cancer early
3. Smoking, how to prepare to quit and quit for good
4. A number of specific cancers such as breast, bowel, prostate and lung.

Check them out and decide what one change you will make to reduce your cancer risk and to spot it early.

Smoking

Smoking is linked to one in every three cancers in this country. For this reason if you are a smoker the best thing you can do to reduce your cancer risk is quit. The resources in this section are designed to support you think about your habit, quit and stay quit.

• Just be smoke free poster (Available to download only)

• Top 10 Tips for Quitting poster  (Available to download only)
  This poster gives you tips on how to prepare to quit  and to stay quit.

• Benefits of Quitting poster (Available to download only)
  This poster gives you information about the benefit your body will experience from the minute you quit smoking.

• What's in a Cigarette
  Leaflet on the harms of smoking and second-hand smoke, and the chemicals found in cigarettes.

• Smoking: what's the story
  Smoking information poster for young people and teens, suitable for youth work / youth education settings.

Reducing your risk of cancer

The European Code Against Cancer gives advice on 12 ways you can reduce your cancer risk. These resources give you the key messages from this code that you can help you make choices to reduce your risk.

• 12 Ways to Reduce your Risk leaflet

• 12 Ways to Reduce your Risk bookmark

• 12 Ways to Reduce your Risk poster

Spot Cancer Early

You are more likely to survive cancer if you find it at an early stage. Our Spot Cancer Early resources give you information on some of the key changes  to look for when checking your body for change that could be cancer

• Spot Cancer Early leaflet

• Spot Cancer Early poster

A focus on diet, physical activity, weight and alcohol

• Your Weight and Cancer booklet
  Losing weight can cut your risk of some of the most common cancers. This booklet explains why and gives you tips on the small changes you can make to reduce your risk.

• Alcohol, Cancer and Your Health booklet
  You can reduce your chance of getting cancer if you avoid alcohol or drink only a little.  In this booklet find out the real facts about the link between alcohol and cancer, what is in a measure and  get tips to help you tackle your drinking.

Women's health

These resources give information on cancer in general along with information on specific cancers that affect women.

• Healthy living and cancer - A woman's guide
  This booklet is for women. It looks at cancer in general but also the cancers specific to women.

• Breast cancer - what you should know leaflet
  This leaflet has facts about breast cancer, ways to reduce your risk, how to check your breasts and signs and symptoms to look out for.

• Cervical cancer- what you should know leaflet
  This leaflet gives information on what increases your risk of cervical cancer, screening, how to reduce your risk and more.

Men's health

These booklets provide information and advice about men's health and cancers that affect men.

• Manual For Men booklet
  This booklet is for men. It looks at how your lifestyle affects your cancer risk and how to spot cancer early. It includes details on testicular and prostate cancer. It also gives you tips on how to make the best of a visit to your doctor.

• Prostate cancer - what you should know leaflet
  This leaflet gives you an overview of  prostate cancer, what affects your risk, how it is diagnosed and more.

• Testicular Cancer: What you should know leaflet

• This leaflet gives you an overview of testicular cancer and what affects your risk. It also looks at how to check your testicles and more.

• How to check your testicles poster (Available to download only)
  This poster gives information on how to check your testicles for change that could be cancer.

Skin cancer

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland. It is very rare in people under 15 years of age. But over-exposure to ultraviolet radiation from childhood onwards affects your risk. These leaflets and posters below give you tips on what you can do to protect your skin when outdoors and how to check your skin for changes that could be skin cancer.

• Non-Melanoma - what you should know 
  This leaflet tells you about the most common kind of skin cancer, the risks, what to look for and what to do if you’re concerned.
   

• Be SunSmart poster (Available to download only)
  Get advice on how you can protect your skin when you are outdoors to reduce your risk of skin cancer from this poster.

• Protecting children and young people from ultraviolet radioation damage factsheet (Available to download only)
  This factsheet is not available in print format.  It gives advice to people working with children and young people on how to protect their skin when outdoors.

• Melanoma - what you should know leaflet
  This leaflet gives you information on what to check your skin for when looking for change that could be melanoma skin cancer.

• Non-Melanoma - what you should know 
  This leaflet gives you information on what to check your skin for when looking for change that could be non-melanoma skin cancer, the most common kind of skin cancer.

• Sunbed poster
  Using a sunbed greatly increases your risk of melanoma skin cancer.  This poster advises against sunbed use and highlights that there is nothing safe about them.

• Outdoor Workers poster
  Get advice on how you can protect your skin when you are an outdoors worker to reduce your risk of skin cancer.

• Be Smart - Protect your skin on the farm leaflet
  The Irish Cancer Society and the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) have joined forces to remind farmers and all outdoor workers of the importance of protecting their skin to reduce the risk of skin cancer. This leaflet is distributed to farm families over the summer months.

• Be Smart - Protect your skin on building sites leaflet
  The Irish Cancer Society and the Construction Industry Federation have joined forces to remind construction workers and all outdoor workers of the importance of protecting their skin to reduce the risk of skin cancer. This leaflet is istributed to building sites over the summer months.

Bowel cancer

• Bowel cancer - What you should know booklet
  This leaflet tells you about what bowel cancer is and how to reduce your risk. It also give information on bowel screening and more.

Lung cancer

• Lung cancer - what you should know leaflet
  This leaflet gives you some facts about lung cancer, the cause and symptoms as well as how it is diagnosed.

Other publications

• Mouth, head and neck cancer - what you should know leaflet
  This leaflet has facts about mouth, head and neck cancers, signs and symptoms and ways to reduce your risk.

Cancer and genes

• Cancer and genes factsheet
  This factsheet is for people who are worried that cancer might run in their family because a number of relatives have had it. It is also for people who are considering genetic testing.

Order any of these booklets

To order bulk print copies of any of these publications, see our online ordering form.