Health
Cancer claims are everywhere. Which to trust?
Illustrations by Liz Zonarich/Harvard Staff
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?
2. Research suggests coffee consumption most likely:
3. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has flagged which of the following as at least possibly carcinogenic?
4. Burning certain scented candles indoors could lead to cancer-causing exposures. True or false?
5. Pilots and flight attendants are at a higher risk for certain cancers. True or false?
6. Could consuming turmeric help prevent cancer?
7. Using tampons raises cancer risk. True or False?
8. Which of the following lifestyle factors increases cancer risk?
9. Disruptions in sleep patterns hinder the body’s ability to ward off cancer. True or false?
10. Which of the following is true about skin cancer risk and sunscreen use?
11. Black men are at a higher risk for prostate cancer. True or 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
