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Sami Mansfield: Why “Cancer Prevention” Might Be the Wrong Conversation

Sami (Papacek) Mansfield/LinkedIn

Mar 4, 2025, 09:35

Sami Mansfield: Why “Cancer Prevention” Might Be the Wrong Conversation

Sami Mansfield, Founder of Cancer Wellness for Life, shared a post on LinkedIn by OncoDaily, adding:

“The next edition is here!

Why ‘Cancer Prevention’ Might Be the Wrong Conversation.

I’m excited to share the latest installment of my bi-monthly blog series, Small Steps, Big Living – a collaboration with OncoDaily!

In this series, I’ll explore the power of lifestyle medicine in cancer care, sharing practical, science-backed strategies to help individuals take charge of their health.

Every February, National Cancer Prevention Month urges us to focus on prevention—but are we missing a crucial opportunity?

Prevention suggests we can avoid cancer entirely – but the reality is, we can only lower our risk.

Yet, too often, screening is presented as the primary prevention tool, despite its limitations:

Screenings detect cancer early, but they don’t prevent it.
High-risk groups – like young adults – are often excluded from routine screenings.
Screening disparities persist across income, race, and access to care.

Did you know?

Colorectal cancer rates among adults under 50 have surged globally, yet many countries still set screening guidelines at age 50—too late for early detection.
Lower-income individuals face the greatest barriers: Only 47% of those below the poverty line receive screenings, compared to 62% of those above 200% of the federal poverty level.
Over 40% of cancer cases and nearly half of cancer-related deaths are linked to modifiable lifestyle factors—yet habit-based strategies remain underutilized.

So, what if we stopped relying solely on screenings and started leveraging lifestyle strategies—accessible, cost-effective habits that empower us to lower risk at any stage of life?

In this first blog, I break down the gaps in our current approach and highlight why lifestyle-based risk reduction is an opportunity we can’t afford to ignore.

I’d love to hear from you! What’s one small step you take to support your health? Drop it in the comments below!”

Sami Mansfield: Why "Cancer Prevention" Might Be the Wrong Conversation