Each year, millions of women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Thanks to the billions of dollars spent on research, and the countless hours researchers devote, we expect that someday, breast cancer will be a thing of the past. Until then, we are heartened to see that diagnoses are made earlier than ever, leading to extraordinary survival rates. Breast cancer treatments are improving every day. We know that a healthy lifestyle — no smoking and eating low-fat foods — can go a long way toward preventing breast cancer.

While researchers continue to seek a cure for cancers, others are focused on the ways that we can all help prevent them from ever occurring. It may never be entirely possible to prevent cancer, but it is possible that understanding many of its triggers can lead each of us to make healthier choices.