Knowing what causes cancer so that you can decrease your risk of getting it

Sep 11, 2022 Dr Zulfikar Bux, Features / Columnists

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By Dr. Zulfikar Bux
Emergency Medicine Specialist

Kaieteur News – Cancer has climbed up the ladder globally and is now the second leading cause of death. One in every six deaths is attributed to cancer worldwide. Unfortunately, there are no signs of it slowing down and I fear that these numbers will increase at unprecedented rates unless a cure is found or we adjust our lifestyle. If you think about it, you or someone you know, would have been affected by cancer. Today, I will share with you the main causes of cancer so that you can try to avoid them if and when you can.

Chemical carcinogens

A carcinogen is something (chemical, radiation, etc) 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. Tobacco is the most common carcinogen that causes cancer. If you smoke, you are more likely to develop cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder and pancreas. Smoking is thought to cause about 1 in 4 of all cancers. About 1 in 10 smokers die from lung cancer. The heavier you smoke, the greater the risk. If you stop smoking, your risk goes down considerably.

Workplace chemicals such as asbestos, benzene, formaldehyde, etc. If you have worked with these without protection you have an increased risk of developing certain cancers. Too much radiation exposure also causes cancer so try to avoid doing too many x-rays and CT scans unless your doctor indicates that they are needed.

Age

This is one you do not have control over; the older you become, the more likely it is that you will develop cancer. This is probably due to an accumulation of damage to cells over time. Also, the body’s defenses and resistance against abnormal cells may lessen as you become older. For example, the ability to repair damaged cells, and the immune system which may destroy abnormal cells, may become less efficient with age. So, eventually one damaged cell may manage to survive and multiply out of control into a cancer.

Lifestyle factors

Diet and other lifestyle factors (and, as mentioned, smoking) can increase or decrease the risk of developing cancer. If you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables you have a reduced risk of developing certain cancers. The exact way in which they protect against cancer is not fully understood. These foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, and also contain chemicals called antioxidants. They may protect against damaging chemicals that get into the body. We should all eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

The following diet/lifestyle choices increase your risk of cancer:

• There is strong evidence that eating a lot of red meat (such as beef, pork and lamb) increases your risk of bowel cancer and stomach cancer.
• Processed meat also increases your risk of cancers, especially bowel cancer. Processed meat means meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking or other processes, e.g. bacon, salami, chorizo, pepperoni and all types of ham.
• The risk of developing certain cancers is increased by lack of regular exercise or drinking too much alcohol.

Obesity

Research has shown that many types of cancer are more common in people who are overweight or obese, including cancers of the breast, bowel, lining of the womb, oesophagus, pancreas, kidney, liver, stomach, ovary, thyroid, myeloma, and brain.

Radiation

Radiation is a carcinogen. For example, exposure to radioactive materials and nuclear fallout can increase the risk of leukemia and other cancers. Too much sun exposure and sunburn increase your risk of developing skin cancer. The larger the dose of radiation, the greater the risk of developing cancer. The risk from small doses, such as from a single X-ray test, is very small.

Infection

Some viruses and bacteria are linked to certain cancers. For example, people with persistent infection with the hepatitis B virus or the Hepatitis C virus have an increased risk of developing cancer of the liver. Another example is the link between the human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer. Women who develop cervical cancer have been infected with a strain of HPV at some point in their lives. Another example is that a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori is linked to stomach cancer.

Immune system

People with a poor immune system have an increased risk of developing certain cancers. For example, people with AIDS, or people on immunosuppressive therapy.

Your genetics

Some cancers have a strong genetic link. For example, in certain childhood cancers the abnormal gene or genes which may trigger a cell to become abnormal and cancerous are inherited. Other types of cancer may have some genetic factor which is less clear-cut. It may be that in some people their genetic makeup means that they are less resistant to the effect of carcinogens or other factors such as diet.

Not everyone who has contact with a potential cancer-causing substance (carcinogen) or has an unhealthy lifestyle will develop cancer. For example, not all smokers develop lung cancer. In fact, we are all probably exposed to low doses of carcinogens a lot of the time.

The body has certain mechanisms which may protect us from developing cancer. For example, it is thought that many cells which are damaged by carcinogens can repair themselves. Also, the body’s immune system may be able to destroy some types of abnormal cells before they multiply into a tumour.

In many cases, it is likely that there is a combination of factors mentioned above that initiates the process. These may play a part in triggering a cell to become abnormal, and allowing it to multiply out of control into a cancer. So, the more of them you avoid, the less likely you will have to deal with the devastating suffering that comes with cancer.

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