Unlike many cancers of adults , lifestyle – related risk factors ( such as smoking , tobacco chewing ) don’t play a role in a child’s risk of getting cancer . If your child does develop cancer , it’s important to know that’s it’s extremely unlikely there is anything you or your child could have done to prevent it . Very rarely in known inherited gene changes in some cancers preventive surgery to remove an organ before cancer can develop may be offered . But , again this is extremely rare .