Cancer claims are everywhere. Which to trust?

by February 11, 2025

February 11, 2025

Health

Cancer claims are everywhere. Which to trust?

Illustrations by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff

Sy Boles

Harvard Staff Writer

February 11, 2025

1 min read

Our research-based quiz can help

There is no shortage of information about cancer risk in the news, at the water cooler, and on social media feeds. To help separate fact from fabrication, researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health created the Cancer FactFinder. The online tool allows users to look up common claims about cancer risk to find out whether they are supported or debunked by research.

Timothy Rebbeck, Vincent L. Gregory Jr. Professor of Cancer Prevention and the FactFinder’s editor in chief, helped us develop the following quiz to help readers make healthier choices.

1. The U.S. Surgeon General has highlighted alcohol consumption as a “leading preventable cause of cancer.” True or false?

True

False

2. Research suggests coffee consumption most likely:

Increases cancer risk

Decreases cancer risk

3. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has flagged which of the following as at least possibly carcinogenic?

Charred meat

Processed meat

Red meat

All of the above

4. Burning certain scented candles indoors could lead to cancer-causing exposures. True or false?

True

False

5. Pilots and flight attendants are at a higher risk for certain cancers. True or false?

True

False

6. Could consuming turmeric help prevent cancer?

Yes

More research needed

7. Using tampons raises cancer risk. True or False?

True

False

8. Which of the following lifestyle factors increases cancer risk?

Low physical activity

Obesity

Stress

All of the above

9. Disruptions in sleep patterns hinder the body’s ability to ward off cancer. True or false?

True

False

10. Which of the following is true about skin cancer risk and sunscreen use?

People with dark skin don’t need to use sunscreen

Sunscreen is only necessary on sunny days

Getting a base tan can prevent damage from sunburns

None of the above

11. Black men are at a higher risk for prostate cancer. True or false?

True

False

Go deeper

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Cancer FactFinder
Alcohol and cancer risk: Harvard Chan experts weigh in
Harvard Thinking: New frontiers in cancer care

Cancer claims are everywhere. Which to trust?

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