Cancer is among the leading causes of death in Australia. As far too many of us know, its impact on individuals and communities can be devastating. But how does cancer affect Australia overall? To find out, we mapped cancer rates across the whole country – search for your postcode here.

Sue Matthews' world was shaken when daughter Taylor was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 11. For the next five years, the family of five would be caught in a whirlwind of treatment plans, surgeries, biopsy results and medical terms they couldn't pronounce. Yet while so much was uncertain, Matthews discovered that their day-to-day experience was still in their control.

When you quit smoking, your body begins to function differently. In the short term, your heart rate and blood pressure adjust themselves. As the years go by, your risks for cancer and heart disease get closer to those of non-smokers. This calculator can give you specific dates for when all these things happen if you were to quit right now.

If you spend a lot of time with a notebook in your lap, you've probably worried about the health risks at least once — especially if you can sense that your laptop is running a bit warm near your tender regions.

There's a whole market for aluminium-free deodorants. They're marketed as natural or vaguely better for you. But hold up a sec: why are you avoiding aluminium, which (unlike those natural deodorants) can actually stop you from sweating? It's fine.

Last year, nearly 14,000 Australians were diagnosed with melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. A new tool, designed to predict the risk of developing melanoma, has just been released by the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. It only takes a minute to predict your risk of disease in the next 3.5 years.

A recent study confirmed a link between breast cancer and hormonal birth control (including pills but also the patch, implant and some IUDs). Give yourself two seconds to freak out, then take a deep breath, and let's discuss.

Every now and again, Lifehacker asks a medical professional the health questions that you wish an expert would answer but you can't quite bring yourself to ask. Today's letter writer just wants to take care of their skin health - but one of their moles is in a very private location.

Unless you are sure you have every inch of your face covered in sunscreen right now, sit down. We need to talk.

Two women with cancer - one already deceased - lost lawsuits against talcum powder makers recently after a judge determined that they hadn't proved the powder caused their cancer. So does the stuff cause cancer or doesn't it? Turns out that's a hard question to answer.

It's breast cancer awareness month, but I think we're already aware that breast cancer exists and that mammograms can detect it. So as long as we're surrounded in pink, let's take a look at some important facts that actually need a little more awareness.

These days, it seems like everything can cause cancer. Peanut butter, bacon, alcohol, weed killer, air pollution, baby food, vitamins, birth control pills, pet cats, bottled water, toothpaste, vegetables - the list goes on and on.

Obviously, not all of these things are guaranteed to cause cancer, but there are definitely some foods, liquids and objects that you should try to avoid or cut down on. Naturally, your lifestyle and level of exercise also plays a huge part. This interactive "body map" brings together the evidence on proven cancer causes - from salty foods to sun exposure.

Cancer is scary. Chemo and radiation are scary. Herbal medicines and special diets seem friendly and comforting by comparison, but we now have clear evidence that people who use alternative treatments for cancer are more likely to die.

There's this thing we tend to do when we hear the awful news that people we know or admire have cancer or other dire diagnoses. We transform them into courageous warriors, ready to battle and conquer the forces of the evil disease. They're suddenly heroes. Fighters. It can feel odd to them because just a bit ago, they were everyday humans, sometimes brave, sometimes scared shitless, trying to navigate the twists and turns of life like everybody else.

Cancer is the worst. And, maybe thanks to Movember and pink consumer goods, we're all extremely aware. Too aware. Because we've gotten it drilled into our heads to always get tested, patients are ignoring the risks of unnecessary cancer screenings, says the New York Times. Low-risk patients often get false positives, leading to dangerous and wasteful misapplications of radiation and chemotherapy.

For all the talk of "toxins" in our food, one definitely toxic substance you consume regularly is probably one you're not even concerned about: Alcohol. A new report shows that even one drink a day may increase your risk of breast cancer, although the risk is small.

You've probably heard that you should see a doctor if you notice any changes in your breasts, since lumps and other anomalies can be signs of breast cancer. But do you even know what changes you're looking for? Let these lemons explain.

It isn't just heavy smokers that are setting themselves up for a future of cancer and heart disease. A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that people who averaged just one cigarette per day still had a 64 per cent chance of dying early, compared to nonsmokers.

It's hard to know what to say when a friend is dealing with a really awful illness or loss. And a lot of the things we blurt out may end up sounding more hurtful than we mean them to. That's why we love this series of cards that say what sick and grieving people really want to hear.