Throat cancers cannot always be prevented. In some cases, patients will develop throat cancer despite having none of the major risk factors associated with the disease. However, lifestyle factors play a crucial role in the development of many throat cancers. Thus, patients can substantially reduce their risk of throat cancer by making several lifestyle choices, including:

• Avoiding tobacco use. Tobacco use is a major contributor to most forms of throat cancer. For example, about 90 percent of patients with oropharyngeal cancer use tobacco, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). The longer a person uses tobacco – and the more frequently they use it – the higher the risk of developing cancer.
  
  

• Not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Alcohol use increases the risk of throat cancer. The combination of drinking and smoking particularly increases a person’s risk of getting this cancer.

• Eating a healthy diet. Diets low in fruits and vegetables have been associated with an increased risk of developing throat cancers. The ACS recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day, as well as servings of whole grain foods from plant sources such as breads, cereals, grain products, rice, pasta or beans. People should also eat fewer red meats, especially those processed (like deli meat) or high in salt and/or fat.