5 Most Common Causes Of Cancer

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The word cancer is enough to strike fear in our hearts, such is its ability to ravage the human body and destroy life in the most inhumane and painful way possible. The weapons to fight cancer are equally destructive and frightening.

What is cancer? Cancer is when the body uses its own mechanisms against itself. Simply put, our cells divide to ensure that our body grows and repairs itself. However, in the case of cancer, our cells first mutate in a harmful way, and then instead of dying, spread rapidly through the body by dividing at tremendous speed.

Sadly, statistics show that cancer is on the rise. Today, most of us personally know at least one or two people afflicted by this disease.

While research continues about its nature and origins, here are some common causes of cancer:

Age: Aging is one of the common causes of cancer. Older people are at higher risk, in fact, 75 per cent of new cancer cases are diagnosed in people over 60. One theory is that as our body grows older, we lose the ability to fight the cancer on a cellular level.

Genes: Some types of breast cancer are genetic. Angelina Jolie recently underwent a double mastectomy as she carried the BRCA1 breast cancer gene. If close female relatives such as your mother, aunt, sister or grandmother have been diagnosed with breast cancer, it is a good idea to get tested.

Tobacco: Chronic smokers defend their habit by saying that several non-smokers have also suffered from lung cancer. However, the stats are clear. One in four cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Smoking causes cancers of the lung, throat, mouth, and oesophagus. And a large number of people die from cancer caused by passive smoking.

Carcinogens: Tobacco is a leading carcinogen, but there are others too. These cancer causing agents work by altering cell or genome structure. Chemical toxins such as dioxins, benzene, formaldehyde, asbestos, vinyl chloride are known carcinogens. These are substances that we come across in our daily life. Some viruses such as the Human Papilloma Virus cause cervical cancer and are natural ones.

Sun exposure: UV radiation in sunlight is one of the common causes of cancer. By not adequately covering up or using sun protection creams, many people have developed skin cancer. Mary Elizabeth Williams, the well-known writer for salon.com, developed skin cancer in spite of using sunscreen. She she left her head uncovered, resulting in a lethal melanoma skin cancer on her scalp.

Cancer is also caused by diet and lifestyle factors. As we await a remedy, our best bet is to go by the adage – prevention is better than cure, and stay away from known causes.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.