The cumulative toxicities associated with most cancer treatments demand that they are administered for a relatively short period of time. However, the rates of cancer recurrence indicate that occult disease remains in a proportion of patients even after the completion of scheduled adjuvant treatment. Recent epidemiologic and experimental evidence suggests that several patient-modifiable factors can influence the long-term risks of cancer recurrence and metastasis, leading to longer survival. This talk will discuss the current recommendations and some additional potential measures that patients could take to minimize their risk of recurrence whilst advocating a cautionary approach in light of previous ill-fated interventions.