Our body has a cycle for everything, and when this is disturbed, we often have some health issues. If we look at the basic idea behind cancer, it also falls under one such issue. Our body has many cells that grow, divide, and die in an orderly manner. In the case of cancer, the cells continue to grow without dying and from new but abnormal cells.
These cells then become cancer cells because of the change in their DNA. Normally, when a cell’s DNA is changed, the cell tries to repair the damages or eventually dies. However, in the case of cancer cells, this modified cell will continue to divide and grow like normal cells.
There are several reasons that are the Causes of cancer, and let us look at it in focus.
Lifestyle
A bad lifestyle is the intake of high-fat food, smoking, or working in places that have toxic materials are some things that may cause cancer in adults. When it comes to children, it is difficult to determine the cause as they are not exposed to such lifestyles, but they are still affected.
Family History/ Genetics:
Genetics or hereditary plays a major role when it comes to the causes of cancer If a family member, especially someone in the closed circle, such as the parents, grandparents, uncle, or aunt, gets affected, then there is a slight chance that someone else in the family can have it too.
Genetic Disorders:
The bone marrow is responsible for the production of cells that later help with the immune system, and if the bone marrow is affected, they will start producing abnormal cells, hence causing cancer to spread or grow more.
These genetic disorders or inherited genetic problems may cause damage to the bone marrow and will lead to cancer.
Some genetic disorders, such as Beckwith-Weidemann syndrome, alter the immune system. Although our immune system is strong enough to battle out all the diseases, sometimes, disorders like those will make it weak.
Viruses:
Some studies show that viruses such as HIV that cause AIDS are linked to developing cancer cells in children. There has been proof that these viruses alter the cells that get reproduced and eventually cause cancer.
Living Environment:
Living in a place with many chemicals such as pesticides, power lines, and fertilisers are directly proportional to the causes of cancer . Studies prove that these living conditions are especially harmful to young children and cause cancer to develop.
Types of Cancer Genes:
Mismatch-repair genes:
As the name suggests, repair genes are responsible for repairing damaged cells and recognising any abnormal growth in cells. Once they recognise it, they prevent those cells from reproducing further and stopping the growth of cancer cells.
However, if these repair genes are not working properly, it is possible for the cancer cells or abnormal cells to grow, which will lead to an increase in the number of abnormal cells growing and causing cancer.
Oncogenes:
These are the genes that regulate the growth of normal cells. Experts in the field compare the Oncogenes to a switch. If the genes work properly, then we have normal cells being produced, but with something that causes the gene to “switch off,” then there is nothing to regulate and stop the abnormal cells; hence they will start to reproduce abnormal cells and cause cancer.
Tumour Suppressor genes:
These genes can detect improper cell development and reproduction, such as cancer cells, and can stop them from reproducing until the deficiency is repaired. However, tumour growth may occur if tumour suppressor genes are altered and do not function effectively.
Common Symptoms of Cancer:
There are not many common symptoms for all types of cancer in general. Each cancer has a different symptom; however, some signs may indicate a need for medical attention.
Severe body pain or headaches:
People with bone cancer or other types of brain tumours may often notice this symptom. Now, please note that this would be an abnormal pain that becomes difficult to tolerate. Do not worry about normal body pain or headaches as a symptom of cancer.
Weight Loss:
If someone is losing weight without reason or without trying, then it may be time to visit a doctor. If the difference in weight is only a few kilos, then it should not be concerning; however, drastic changes need to be checked.
Fatigue:
If the person is constantly tired and no amount of sleep is helping them, then it is important to visit a doctor and find out the reason behind it.
Changes in skin:
If there are any abnormal bumps, patches, moles, or marks on the body, the person needs to be sure to contact a doctor immediately.
Conclusion
Defining cancer in easy terms is the “abnormal growth of body cells.” There are several kinds of cancer, and it is not always possible to pinpoint the reason for cancer, but some of the common causes of cancer are smoke, dust, tobacco, race, age, sex, heredity. In this article, we will discuss this topic in detail.
Since many of the carcinogens seem to be based on our lifestyle, one needs to maintain the right food habits to be healthy. Avoiding smoking, drinking alcohol, and ingestion of other harmful materials will prevent cancer.