prevention (pree-VEN-shun)
In medicine, action taken to decrease the chance of getting a disease or condition. For example, cancer prevention includes avoiding risk factors (such as smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and radiation exposure) and increasing protective factors (such as getting regular physical activity, staying at a healthy weight, and having a healthy diet).
Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms
(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)
