Cancer – What Causes It and How to Prevent It
Cancer is one of the world’s most deadly diseases, but it can also be one of the most treatable. It takes many forms and is often found at early stages, when it’s easier to treat. In fact, cancer deaths are dropping yearly. Researchers are also making steady progress in finding new and better treatments.
In the early 1900s, doctors realized that some abnormal tissue masses – called tumors – could grow and spread, invading and destroying surrounding tissues. These cells are sometimes malignant (cancerous), which means they can destroy the body’s normal functions, causing pain and even death.
The disease usually starts in the cells, which are made up of protein molecules that make up the organs and tissues of the body. Cells are programmed to grow and change as they reproduce, but if the genetic material that controls these processes is damaged, a mutation may occur. A mutation can alter the instructions that control how and when cells divide or how they repair themselves after damage. Over time, these mutations can accumulate and transform healthy cells into precancerous or cancerous ones. Cancer cells can also break away from the original tumor and travel to other parts of the body via the blood or lymph system, where they can grow and cause symptoms in those organs or tissues.
Scientists now understand more about how cancer cells develop and spread. They know that the mutations are not random, but happen over time and result from natural selection resulting from the interaction of genes and their environment. These changes, called driver mutations, are what causes the abnormal growth and spread of cancer cells and their subsequent invasion of and destruction of normal tissue.
Researchers also know that there are some things that increase your risk of getting cancer, like smoking or being exposed to certain types of radiation or chemicals. You can lower your risk of getting cancer by taking good care of yourself and being screened for it regularly, as advised by your doctor. This includes eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and exercising regularly. Keeping to a healthy weight, not smoking, and being immunized with vaccines can also help reduce your risk of getting cancer.
Scientists don’t yet know exactly what causes most cancers, but there is growing evidence that lifestyle choices and genetics play a role. Smoking, for example, increases the risk of lung cancer. Regular screening tests can detect cancers at an early stage when they’re most treatable.
Cancer is one of the world’s most deadly diseases, but it can also be one of the most treatable. It takes many forms and is often found at early stages, when it’s easier to treat. In fact, cancer deaths are dropping yearly. Researchers are also making steady progress in finding new and better treatments. In the early 1900s, doctors realized that some abnormal tissue masses – called tumors – could grow and spread, invading and destroying surrounding tissues. These cells are sometimes malignant (cancerous), which means they can destroy the body’s normal functions, causing pain and even death. The disease usually starts in the cells, which are made up of protein molecules that make up the organs and tissues of the body. Cells are programmed to grow and change as they reproduce, but if the genetic material that controls these processes is damaged, a mutation may occur. A mutation can alter the instructions that control how and when cells divide or how they repair themselves after damage. Over time, these mutations can accumulate and transform healthy cells into precancerous or cancerous ones. Cancer cells can also break away from the original tumor and travel to other parts of the body via the blood or lymph system, where they can grow and cause symptoms in those organs or tissues. Scientists now understand more about how cancer cells develop and spread. They know that the mutations are not random, but happen over time and result from natural selection resulting from the interaction of genes and their environment. These changes, called driver mutations, are what causes the abnormal growth and spread of cancer cells and their subsequent invasion of and destruction of normal tissue. Researchers also know that there are some things that increase your risk of getting cancer, like smoking or being exposed to certain types of radiation or chemicals. You can lower your risk of getting cancer by taking good care of yourself and being screened for it regularly, as advised by your doctor. This includes eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and exercising regularly. Keeping to a healthy weight, not smoking, and being immunized with vaccines can also help reduce your risk of getting cancer. Scientists don’t yet know exactly what causes most cancers, but there is growing evidence that lifestyle choices and genetics play a role. Smoking, for example, increases the risk of lung cancer. Regular screening tests can detect cancers at an early stage when they’re most treatable.