BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cancer, a significant health and societal problem, takes first place among causes of death and frequency of cases. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and awareness levels regarding the risk factors of cancer for university students studying in various departments of medical sciences. MATERIALS and METHODS: This study was designed as descriptive cross-sectional feature. This study was conducted at a thematic health university. The knowledge and thoughts of students about cancer risk factors were determined through questionnaires created by the researchers. In this study, students were given questionnaires investigating their socio-demographic parameters and testing their knowledge and attitudes about the risk factors of cancer. In evaluating their state of knowledge, each student was asked to state their opinion on whether a factor is a cancer risk as being “a probable factor”, “not a probable factor” or “I don’t know”. The findings were analyzed taking into account their percentage distributions. RESULTS: The average age of the participant students was 20.4±2.18 years and their ages ranged from 17 and 30 years. 74.8% of the sample students were female and 25.8% of them were male. In the families of one-fourth of the sample students (24.2%), the existence of cancer cases was present. CONCLUSION: When the students of Medical Sciences graduate from university and begin their professions, they are thought to be guides in the maintenance and development of health care. It is important to increase the awareness of health professionals regarding cancer and its risk factors in the early stages of their student life. Universities are advised to include cancer and the risk factors of cancer in their curriculum.