Doctors cannot explain why one person
develops cancer and others do not. But research shows that certain risk factors
increase the chances that a person will develop cancer. These are risk factors
for the most common cancer:
·
Age
·
Tobacco
or cigarettes smoking
·
Exposure
to sunlight
·
Ionizing
Radiation
·
Some
viruses and bacteria
·
Alcohol
·
Certain
hormones
·
Family
history of cancer
·
Alcohol
·
Certain
chemicals and other substances
·
Poor
diet, physical inactivity, excess weight
Many of these risk factors can avoid. Others,
such as family history, cannot be avoided. People can protect themselves by
staying away from known risk factors whenever possible.
If you think you might be at risk of cancer,
you should discuss this issue with your doctor. You may want to ask about risk
reduction and test plans.
Over time, several factors may act together
to cause normal cells to become cancerous. Thinking about cancer risk, here are
some things to consider:
Not everything can cause cancer.
Cancer does not cause by injury, such as a
bump or bruise.
Cancer is not contagious. Despite infection
with certain viruses or bacteria may increase the risk of certain cancers, one cannot
"catch" cancer from another person.
Have one or more risk factors do not mean you
will get cancer. Most people who have risk factors never develop cancer.
Age
The most important risk factors for cancer are
growing. Most tumors occur in people over 50 years of age. But people of all
ages, including children, can get cancer, too.
Tobacco use
or Cigarettes Smoking
The use of tobacco is the leading cause of
preventable death. Each year, more than 150,000 Americans die of cancer
associated with tobacco use.
The use of tobacco or products regularly
being around tobacco smoke (passive smoking or secondhand smoke) increases the
risk of cancer.
Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to
develop lung cancer, larynx (voice box), mouth, esophagus, bladder, kidney,
esophagus, stomach, pancreas, and cervix. They are also more likely to develop
acute myeloid leukemia (cancer that begins in blood cells).
People who use smokeless tobacco (snuff and
chewing tobacco) are at increased risk of oral cancer.
Quitting from smoking is important for anyone
using tobacco - even people who used it for many years. The risk of cancer for
people who stop is less than the risk for people who continue to use tobacco.
(But the risk of cancer is usually less than those who never used tobacco.)
Moreover, for people with cancer, quitting
smoking can reduce the risk of another cancer.
Exposure
to Sunlight
Ultraviolet (UV) from the sun, sunlamps, and
tanning booths. This causes premature aging and skin damage that can lead to
skin cancer.
Doctors encourage people of all ages to limit
their time in the sun and avoid other sources of UV radiation:
It is best to avoid the midday sun (from
mid-morning to late afternoon) as possible. You should also protect against UV
radiation reflected by sand, water, snow and ice. UV rays can penetrate light
clothing, windshields and windows.
The
ionizing radiation
Ionizing radiation can cause cell damage that
leads to cancer. This kind of radiation comes from rays that enter the
atmosphere of Earth from outer space, radioactive fallout, radon gas, x-rays
and other sources.
The radioactive fallout can come from
accidents at nuclear facilities in the production or testing, or deployment of
nuclear weapons. People exposed to fallout may be at increased risk of cancer,
especially leukemia and cancers of the thyroid, breast, lung and stomach.
Some viruses and
bacteria
Being
infected with certain viruses or bacteria may increase the risk of developing
cancer:
Hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses: Liver cancer can
develop after many years of infection with hepatitis B or hepatitis C.
Human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV): HIV is the virus that causes
AIDS. People who have HIV infection are at greater risk of cancer, such as
lymphoma and a rare cancer called Kaposi's sarcoma.
Alcohol
Having more than two drinks a day over many
years may increase the likelihood of developing cancer of the mouth, throat,
esophagus, larynx, liver and breast. The risk increases with the amount of
alcohol you drink. For most of these tumors, the risk is higher for a drinker
who uses tobacco.
Family History of
Cancer
If you think you have a model of some types
of cancer, your family, you should talk to your doctor. The doctor may
recommend as trying reducing the risk of cancer. The doctor may also suggest
the tests can detect early cancer.
You could ask your doctor about genetic
testing. These tests can determine some heritable genetic changes that increase
the risk of developing cancer. But inherited genetic mutation does not mean you
will definitely develop cancer. This means they have a higher chance of
developing the disease.
Certain
chemicals and other substances
People who have certain jobs (such as
painters, construction workers, and those in the chemical industry) have an
increased risk of cancer. Many studies have shown that exposure to asbestos,
benzene can, Benzidine, cadmium, nickel, or vinyl chloride in the workplace
lead to cancer.
Poor
diet, physical inactivity, excess weight
People with a poor diet, lack of exercise or
being overweight may be at increased risk of certain cancers. For example,
studies show that people whose diets are high in fat has a higher risk of colon
cancer in the uterus, and prostate. Physical activity and obesity are risk
factors for breast cancer, colon, esophagus, kidney and uterus.
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