Anyone can get cancer, regardless of age, gender or race. That said, cancer is primarily a disease of aging. Most cancer cases affect adults middle-aged or older. The median age of diagnosis is 68, meaning that one half of those who will be diagnosed with cancer will be younger than 68, and the other half will be older. Of course, cancer usually takes years to develop in the body, so it's important to begin screening for detectable cancers early, long before you have symptoms.
Some groups are at increased risk for cancer.
For example, smokers are 10 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers. And women who have a family history of breast cancer are 2 times more likely to develop breast cancer than those who do not have family history. For reasons that are not clear, African-Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with and die from certain types of cancer, including prostate cancer in men, and colorectal cancer in women. For more information about cancer in minorities, contact the United States Office of Minority Health Resources . Talk with your doctor about your individual cancer risk based on age, gender, race, family history and other factors such as diet and lifestyle.