The World Health Organization estimates that between 30% and 50% of cancers could be prevented by avoiding known risk factors and applying existing prevention strategies. That is not a promise about any one person's life. It is a statement about populations — and it means that a great deal of cancer in Ghana is not inevitable.

Two kinds of risk factor

Some risk factors you cannot change: your age, your sex, your family history, the genes you inherited. Knowing about these is still useful, because they tell you and your health professional how closely to watch, and from what age.

Others you can influence. These are where prevention lives. Below they are ordered roughly by how much difference they make in the Ghanaian context — which is not the same order you would find in a European or American leaflet.

1. Infections — the biggest preventable cause in Ghana

This is where Ghana differs most from high-income countries. A significant share of cancers here are caused by chronic infections that can be vaccinated against, tested for and treated.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV causes more than 95% of cervical cancer. Vaccination before exposure prevents most of it. Screening finds precancerous changes years before cancer develops, and those changes can usually be treated in a single outpatient visit. Read more about cervical cancer.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C

Chronic hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer across West Africa, and it is usually silent for decades. Hepatitis B vaccination is part of Ghana's childhood immunisation schedule; adults who are not immune can still be vaccinated. Testing matters enormously, because treatment and monitoring substantially reduce the risk of liver cancer developing. Hepatitis C is now curable. Read more about liver cancer.

HIV

Untreated HIV raises the risk of several cancers, including cervical cancer, Kaposi sarcoma and certain lymphomas. Knowing your status and staying in care reduces that risk considerably.

If you take one thing from this page: HPV vaccination for girls, and hepatitis B testing and vaccination for everyone, are the two highest-value cancer prevention actions available in Ghana today. Both are practical. Both are under-used.

2. Tobacco

Tobacco is the single largest preventable cause of cancer worldwide. It is not only lung cancer — tobacco is linked to cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, bladder, kidney, cervix and more. This includes chewed and smokeless tobacco, shisha and second-hand smoke.

Stopping helps at any age, and the benefit begins within months. If you use tobacco and want to stop, ask a health professional what support is available — willpower alone is a harder route than it needs to be.

3. Alcohol

Alcohol is a known cause of cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver, bowel and breast. The risk rises with the amount consumed, and there is no threshold below which it disappears entirely. Alcohol and tobacco together multiply the risk rather than simply adding to it. Less is better.

4. Body weight and physical activity

Carrying excess body weight is linked to at least thirteen cancers, including breast cancer after menopause, endometrial cancer, bowel cancer and liver cancer. Fat tissue produces hormones and inflammatory signals that encourage cell growth.

Physical activity reduces risk independently of weight. This does not require a gym. Walking briskly, farming, carrying, dancing, and vigorous household work all count. Aim for regular activity on most days.

5. Diet and food storage

The evidence on diet is less dramatic than headlines suggest, but a few patterns are consistent:

More fibre. Beans, whole grains, vegetables and fruit are associated with lower bowel cancer risk. Traditional Ghanaian staples support this well.
Less processed meat. Processed meat is classified by IARC as carcinogenic to humans; red meat as probably carcinogenic.
Less heavily salted and smoked food, which is linked to stomach cancer.
Safe grain storage. Aflatoxin, produced by moulds on poorly stored groundnuts, maize and grains, is a significant liver cancer risk in West Africa. Store food dry and well ventilated, and discard mouldy or discoloured batches rather than sorting through them.

6. Sun and environmental exposures

Darker skin offers real protection from ultraviolet damage, but not complete protection — and people living with albinism in Ghana face a very high risk of skin cancer and need consistent sun protection. People who work outdoors for long hours benefit from shade, covering clothing and a wide-brimmed hat.

Household air pollution from cooking with wood, charcoal or kerosene in unventilated spaces is a real and under-discussed cancer risk, and it falls disproportionately on women. Better ventilation and cleaner cooking methods matter.

7. Reproductive factors and breastfeeding

Breastfeeding reduces the mother's risk of breast cancer, and the effect increases with total duration. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are both associated with lower ovarian cancer risk. These are not reasons to make reproductive decisions you would not otherwise make — but they are part of an honest picture.

What the evidence does not support

A great deal of circulating advice is simply not true, and some of it is harmful because it delays real care.

Common claim	What the evidence says
Herbal remedies can cure cancer	No herbal preparation has been shown to cure cancer. People who delay proven treatment in favour of alternative remedies have poorer outcomes. Tell your clinical team about anything you are taking — some preparations interfere with treatment.
Cancer is caused by a curse or spiritual attack	Cancer is a disease of cells. Seeking spiritual comfort is a personal matter and can help people cope — but it should never replace medical care, because delay is what costs lives.
Cancer is contagious	Cancer cannot be passed from person to person. Some infections that raise cancer risk are transmissible, which is a reason for vaccination — not for avoiding people with cancer.
Wearing a bra causes breast cancer	No reliable evidence supports this.
Sugar feeds cancer, so cutting it out cures it	All cells use glucose. Cutting sugar does not starve a tumour. Maintaining a healthy weight does genuinely reduce risk, which is a different claim.
If it does not hurt, it is not serious	Many cancers are painless in their early stages. Absence of pain is not reassurance.

A practical prevention checklist

Ask about HPV vaccination for the girls in your family.
Get tested for hepatitis B — and vaccinated if you are not immune.
Know your HIV status and stay in care if positive.
Avoid tobacco in every form, and keep your home smoke-free.
Limit alcohol.
Move your body most days, and aim for a healthy weight.
Eat plenty of beans, vegetables, fruit and whole grains; limit processed meat and heavily salted or smoked food.
Store grains and groundnuts dry; discard mouldy batches.
Ventilate your cooking space, or cook outdoors where you can.
Attend screening when it is offered to you, and act on any persistent change.

References

Cancer — fact sheet. World Health Organization, 2025. View source
Cancer prevention. World Health Organization, 2024. View source
Cervical cancer — fact sheet. World Health Organization, 2024. View source
Hepatitis B — fact sheet. World Health Organization, 2024. View source
Aflatoxins. World Health Organization, 2023. View source
Tobacco — fact sheet. World Health Organization, 2025. View source
Household air pollution and health — fact sheet. World Health Organization, 2024. View source

Medical disclaimer

The information provided by Stepin Women Foundation is for educational and awareness purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional with any questions you may have about a medical condition or symptom.

Content prepared: September 2026 · Scheduled review: September 2028
Clinical review: Pending review by Stepin's Medical & Health Advisory Council.