Cancer And its

Causes

What is Cancer

Cancer is the general name for a group of more than 100

diseases. Although there are many kinds of cancer, all cancers
start because abnormal cells grow out of control.
Cancer is a term used for diseases in which abnormal cells
divide without control and are able to invade other tissues.
Cancer cells can spread to other parts of the body through the
blood andlymphsystems.
Cancer cell growth is different from normal cell growth.
Instead of dying, cancer cells continue to grow and form new,
abnormal cells.
Growing out of control and invading other tissues are what
makes a cell a cancer cell.

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Causes of Cancer

When a tumor successfully spreads to other parts of the

body and grows, invading and destroying other healthy
tissues, it is said to have metastasized. This process itself is
called metastasis, and the result is a serious condition that is
very difficult to treat.
Cancer is ultimately the result of cells that unrestrictedly
grow and do not die. Normal cells in the body follow an orderly
path of growth, division, and death & when this process breaks
down, cancer begins to form. Unlike regular cells, cancer cells
do not experience programmatic death, instead of this
continue to grow and divide. This leads to a mass of abnormal
cells that grows out of control.

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1. Heredity &
Cancer
Cancer is such a common disease that it is no surprise that
many families have at least a few members who have had
cancer.
Sometimes, certain types of cancer seem to run in some
families.
It can also be due in part to other factors, like obesity, that
tend to run in families and influence cancer risk.
But in some cases the cancer is caused by an abnormal
gene that is being passed along from generation to
generation. Although this is often referred to as inherited
cancer, what is inherited is the abnormal gene that can lead
to cancer.
Only about 5% to 10% of all cancers result directly from

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2. Genes &
Cancer
Cancer is a disease of abnormal gene function. Genes are
pieces of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). They contain the
instructions on how to make the proteins the body needs to
function, when to destroy damaged cells, and how to keep
the cells in balance.
Your genes control things such as hair colour, eye colour,
and height.
Cancer is caused by changes (mutations) to the DNA
within cells. Errors in the instructions may allow a cell to
become cancerous.
There are 2 major types of gene mutations, inherited and
acquired:

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3. Smoking &
Cancer

Cigarette smoking is the major single cause of cancer

mortality.
Cigarette smoking and tobacco use are acquired behaviours
activities that people choose to do.
Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our
society.
Cigars are also tobacco, and they are dangerous to your
health. And like cigarettes, cigars give off second-hand smoke,
which can fill a room for hours.

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4. Physical
activity

Research has shown that poor diet and not being active are two
key factors that can increase a persons cancer risk.
Besides quitting smoking, some of the most important things
you can do to help reduce your cancer risk are:
Get to and stay at a healthy weight throughout life.
Be physically active on a regular basis.
Make healthy food choices with a focus on plant-based foods.
Choose foods and drinks in amounts that help you get to and
maintain a healthy weight.

5. Carcinogen
A carcinogen is something which can damage a cell and
make it more likely to turn into a cancerous cell. As a
general rule, the more the exposure to a carcinogen, the
greater the risk.
Substances and exposures that can lead to cancer are
called carcinogens. Some carcinogens do not affect DNA
directly, but lead to cancer in other ways.
For example, they may cause cells to divide at a faster than
normal rate, which could increase the chances that DNA
changes will occur.
Well-known examples include:
Radon, Asbestos, Hair dyes, Lead, Formaldehyde, Benzene,
Diesel exhaust, Radiation exposure

6. UV Rays
Radiation is the emission (sending out) of energy from any source.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. The
main source of UV rays is the sun.
Most skin cancers are a direct result of exposure to the UV rays in
sunlight.
Skin cancers are linked to certain behaviours that put people in
the sun, as well as a number of markers of sun exposure, such as:
Spending time in the sun for recreation (including going to the
beach)
Spending a lot of time in the sun in a swim suit
Living in an area with a high amount of sun
Serious sunburns in the past
Signs of sun damage to the skin, such as liver spots, actinic
keratosis and solar elastosis (thickened, dry, wrinkled skin caused
by sun exposure) on the neck.,

7. Cell Phones
Along with the large & growing number of cell phone users, the
amount of time people spend on their phones has also risen
sharply in recent decades.
Cell phones (including smartphones) give off a form of energy
known as radiofrequency (RF) waves, which might increase the
risk of brain tumours or other tumours in the head and neck area.
Cell phones work by sending signals to (and receiving them
from) nearby cell towers (base stations) using RF waves. This is a
form of electromagnetic energy like FM radio waves, microwaves,
visible light, and heat.
Many factors can affect the amount of RF energy to which a
person is exposed, including:
The amount of time the person is on the phone.
Whether or not the person is using the speaker mode on the
phone or a hands-free device.

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