What Causes Cancer?
For years people have tried to figure out one big question. What is the real cause of cancer? After much research, the statistics say that cancer is a disease of the modern world (Stevenson 1). A few main factors that cause cancer are the use of tobacco, industrial agents, and a person’s weight and diet. (Landau 2-4). The modern environment and everyday lifestyle of people contain factors that cause cancer.
Scientist have done research that has shown Ancient Egyptian mummies were without any cancer or tumors. They are sure of this because during mummification, these types of things are kept inside the body. The absence of cancerous tumors in Ancient Egyptians show their rarity during these days. This indicates that cancer causing factors are restricted to societies with modern industry such as ours (Stevenson 1).
Most cancer happens at different rates in other parts of the world. Lifestyle can increase a person’s risk for cancer because it can affect cells that are prepared to become cancerous by helping them grow. The environment can change genes which cause them to be cancerous in the first place. An abnormal cell is what causes a tumor. This cell appears to be no different from normal ones and only functions and divides when needed. Then, even though the organ it supports has a sufficient amount of cells, it divides uncontrollably (Weinberg 1-2).
Most everyone knows that tobacco is a factor of cancer. It can cause cancer by changing a gene and causing it to divide uncontrollably, then the unwanted cells spread throughout the body (Elk 45). Smoking alone has caused 30 percent of all cancer deaths. The risk from smoking depends on the kind of cigarettes, how deeply a person breathes in the smoke, and how ...
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... Works Cited
Elk, Ronit and Monica Morrow. “Causing the Mutation: Genetics or Environment?” 2003. Breast Cancer for Dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc., 2003. 45-46. Print.
Landau, Elaine. "Cancer: Causes and Prevention." Cancer (9780805029901). 36. n.p.: Lerner Publishing Group, 1994. Health Source - Consumer Edition. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
Stevenson, Heidi. "The Modern Environment Causes Cancer." Cancer. Ed. Jacqueline Langwith. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from "Cancer Is Man-Made, Not Caused by Genes or Living a Long Life: Study Documents." Gaia Health 17 Oct. 2010. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Discus. 24 Mar. 2014.
Weinberg, Robert A.Komaroff, Anthony L. "Your Lifestyle, Your Genes, and Cancer." Newsweek 151.25 (2008): 40. MAS Ultra - School Edition. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
Tumors are formed by the alteration of the body’s own cells. This can be caused by environmental factors such as radiation, like UV exposure, chemicals or viruses 1. These can disrupt genes that control growth and cause an increase in cell division and proliferation. Proto-oncogenes are those genes that control normal but essential cell processes that keep cell growth and death in check. Two important categories are apoptosis genes, which regulate cell death, and tumor suppressor genes, which decrease cell propagation 1 . If these genes were mutated to the point where they cannot produce a functioning protein, cell division would continue far past what it was supposed to and unhealthy cells would be allowed to live and continue to multiply. This is what creates a malignant tumor. Certain conditions in the body can also promote the growth of cancer cells. One of these is a deficiency of natural killer (NK) cells, which are able to kill cancer cells by creating a pore in the cell membrane with perforin and releasing granzymes into the cell. Low levels of perforin allow for tumor growth 1. Chronic inflammation can also ...
In the United States, starting from the first breast cancer case in 1930s to today, a woman's lifetime risk of breast cancer increases to one eighth (Gray et al.). Continuously increasing breast cancer rate has caused a lot of concerns among not only ordinary people but also scientists. For decades, scientists have been working on the causes of breast cancer in order to find the corresponding methods of treatment. However, only about 25% of the breast cancer cases got explained (Brody et al.); till today, heredity, lifetime exposure to environmental estrogen (the female sex hormone), and the dietary fat are the only major known causes (“Cover Story: Breast Cancer and Environment”). For the 75% unexplained breast cancers cases, scientists, through various of researches, have come up with several hypothetical breast cancer causes, in which synthetic chemicals and environmental radiations are the major ones.
Cancer has become the one of the most feared things for human beings. The various type of cancer have been discovered and there are still a lot of it that undiscoverable. Cancer is a complex disease that have a group of disease. The cancer itself cannot be describe by words. The causes of this cancer is still not being able to be discovered fully. There are only minor factor that can lead to this disease. The carcinogens are believed to be one of the causes that lead to cancer such as asbestos, radon gas, tobacco, PVC and much more from our chemical industries. The environment especially near to the industrial that produce chemical waste can be one of the causes lead to cancer. Cancer also have relation with our age, lifestyle, and diet and also can be genetically inherited. It is believed that older people have higher tendency to get cancer than younger people. Our lifestyle and diet also plays a role causing a cancer by our daily life routine. Smoking tobacco and eating unconsciously (still in research) can also increase the possibility to get cancer especially lung cancer that cause by smoking tobacco. There are several cases, cancer were inherited from their parents. Various type of viruses such as HIV, HPV, EBV and many more virus has a high capabilities to increase the chance a patient to get a cancer because these viruses lower their body immunity to disease.
Cancer of the lung was nearly nonexistent in the early 1900’s. By the middle of the 20th century an epidemic became apparent throughout the United States and the rest of the world. It is primarily correlated with the widespread abundance of cigarette smoking in the world. The tobacco industry has multiplied its production immediately prior to World War I. There was a typical 20 to 30 year lagging period between the initiation of cigarette smoking and the actual tumor formation in the lungs. Lung cancer is the cancer that originates in the tissues of the lungs. It occurs when cells in the lung start to grow rapidly in an uncontrolled manner. Lung cancer can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system. Most of all lung cancer cases start in the lining of the bronchi (health-cares.net, 2005). It is the leading cause of all cancer deaths in the world. During this time the tobacco companies would continue to say that cigarette smoking was not addictive and did not cause any type of cancer. Even with all evidence in the world today about tobacco causing cancer, Tobacco companies still remain the most profitable business in the world. Lung cancer is very common in both women and men. Women account for about 40 percent of the lung cancer cases in the world. Women who smoke are more than twice as likely to develop lung cancer as those of men who smoke (Tavor, 2005).
To begin, people can receive certain forms of cancer if they use tobacco products. When discussing health problems of smoking, the author writes, “Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body” (Harms of Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting). Scientists have conducted research and have concluded that using a tobacco product damages cells. The damaged cells become mutated and form cancer cells. The author goes on to explain, “Among the 250 known harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 69 can cause cancer” (Harms of Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting). These harmful chemicals are catalysts for many types of cancer. Some of these toxins include arsenic, carbon monoxide, and lead. When directly consumed, these chemicals are very pernicious, so it is obvious that they can cause diseases like ...
There are over 7,000 chemicals present in tobacco smoke. Of those over 250 are deemed harmful, and of those 69 are cancer causing. Those cancer causing substances are called carcinogens (Nugel). It is clear that cancer and smoking can be linked. Smoking causes cancer of the lung esophagus, larynx, mouth,...
Many things in our genes, lifestyle, and the environment may increase our risk of getting cancer. To reduce our chances to develop cancer, we may change our diet and lifestyle, also, if the cancerous cells are found earlier, and medicines to treat precancerous cells may keep cancer from starting. Some types of cancer can be found before they cause symptoms. By having screenings, doctors can find and treat cancer early. Screening examinations are applied to...
Every year, 12.7 million people discover that they have cancer. 7.3 million of them die from the disease. How did this disease get to be so powerful? Recent studies have given us information that may finally lead us to the answer. Since the industrial revolution, cancer rates have gone up a staggering amount. The industrial revolution changed the way we manufacture everything, and turned small towns into enormous cities. Along with the good, came an increase in obesity, arthritis, and as previously mentioned, cancer. This is not the only theory about diseases being caused by humans. The other, and much more out there, conspiracy is that AIDS was created by the the CIA in order to kill off African Americans and homosexuals. Although many may
As most of you know, smoking is bad for your health, but what some of you might not know is that you don’t actually have to smoke to be harmed by smoking. Lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women, is mainly caused by cigarette smoking. Secondhand smoking causes approximately 2 percent of lung cancer deaths each year. It causes respiratory disease, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), middle ear disease, and asthma attacks in children.
In today’s society, Cancer is an epidemic. It affects both developed and undeveloped nations and challenges social and economic advances, and yet cancer is still on the rise. No one is safe from cancer and it is an equal opportunist when it comes to gender. Cancer does not discriminate against age, gender, or class. Studies show in America alone, 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed every year. Cancer has a detrimental effect, more than 12 million people around the world find out they have cancer yearly. This leave many wondering if a cure for cancer will ever be developed.
Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells (American cancer society, 2017). If the spread is not controlled, it can result in death. Cancer causes include life style factors (external) such as tobacco use and non-modifiable (internal) factors, such as inherited genetic mutations, hormones and immune conditions. These risk factors may act simultaneously or in sequence to initiate and/or promote cancer growth.
This represents 4.0% of all male 1.8% of female hospitalisations respectively. The epidemiologic evidence and the corresponding biological understanding of respiratory cancer have supported the conclusion that smoking causes lung cancer. It is well documented that cigarette smoke: · is the major cause of lung cancer (primary carcinoma of the lung). · is a cause of heart disease, chronic lung disease, and oesophageal cancer.
Nicotine is the chemical in tobacco that most impacts the brain and provides near instantaneous feelings of pleasure associated with smoking. People who smoke usually have ruff skin or other things that are wrong with them. Tar will also stain smoker’s fingers, their teeth, and collects in their lungs (Eshrick 32). Lung cancer is the most common cancers that most people have. Studies have proven that one out of every four people die from lung cancer, and ninety percent of cancer is caused by tobacco use (Eshrick 62). Bladder cancer may occur when smokers inhale some of the carcinogens in tobacco smoke are absorbed from the lungs and get into the blood, then filtered by the kidneys and concentrated into the urine. If the victim smokes more than twenty cigarettes a day it can double the risk of the most common type of kidney cancer (Eshrick 55). The last cancer is cervical cancer, the chemicals damage the cervix. There are cells in the lining of the cervix called Langerhans cells that specifically help fight against diseases. These cells do not work well in smokers (Eshrick
...evention: Implications for the 21st Century.” Cancer Causes and Control. Vol. 18, No. 2 (2007). 118.
Scientists and health officials have been arguing the detrimental effects smoking has on our health for many years. Smoking can lead to serious complications including asthma, pancreas, lung and stomach cancer due to the large number of carcinogens (cancer causing chemicals) and other various substances added to it. It is a health hazard for both smokers and non-smokers and it is especially harmful to unborn babies. Although smokers claim that it helps them to relax and release stress, the negative aspects of the habit take over the positive. As it has been stressed by the scientists and experts, there are some very severe reasons of smoking but its crucial consequences should also be taken into consideration.