For every person to hear this word from the mouth of a doctor is tantamount to a death sentence. That is why many people avoid timely examination by specialists for fear of learning about a terrible diagnosis.
Scientists claim that early diagnosis of cancer in the early stages can be successfully treated. The awareness of Europeans in matters of their health is much higher than that of Russians.
But the main question that worries the minds of mankind: "How do they get cancer?" Despite the constant research of doctors, the mystery of the origin of this disease in the human body is still unsolved. A universal cure for cancer has not yet been invented.
Cancer History
Since ancient times, humanity has been preoccupied with an unknown disease that destroys young and old people. The disease, reminiscent of the symptoms of cancer, is mentioned in ancient Egyptian chronicles, whose age is 3000 years. This suggests that the disease is as old as humanity. The term "cancer" was introduced by Hippocrates, who observed the pathological process of the mammary gland in patients. He called this disease "oncos", which means "tumor."
Until the middle of the Middle Ages, there was a ban on dissection of bodies after death, and cancer research ceased. In the 17-18th centuries the Enlightenment began. Doctors were given permission to investigate the causes of death by autopsy. At this time, the scientific study of cancer stepped far forward. All types and stages of this disease were discovered, and humanity was horrified. The worst thing was that it was completely incomprehensible how they get cancer?
Later, doctors learned to distinguish tumors by the principle of the chances of survival of a sick person. They began to be divided into benign and malignant. The former were characterized by slow growth, did not give metastasis, and were safely removed by surgery. Malignant tumors differed in that they developed very quickly and killed a person through metastases. These are cells that separate from the mother’s tumor and, with the flow of blood or lymph, spread throughout the human body or move inside the body cavities. They secrete toxins and inhibit healthy cells. Consuming a huge amount of glucose from the blood, they deprive other cells and organs of nutrition. Poisoned by cancer toxins, the body is depleted and dies.
How does cancer begin?
No matter what the size of the tumor, it originates from a single cell. Being once the most ordinary unit of an organism, it performed a familiar function.
But suddenly something happened, and this same cell became foreign to the body and ceased to obey the laws of physiology. Until she changed outwardly, immunity agents did not touch her. But soon the cell began to multiply unceasingly. A colossal amount of energy is needed for newly formed substances. They draw it from the blood stream. Therefore, a
cancerous tumor has a highly developed system of blood vessels. Having sucked out all the sugar from the blood, the neoplasm does not stop growing and weakening the host organism. This is an example mechanism for getting cancer. But why this happens is still a mystery.
Scientists had high hopes for decoding the human genome. They suggested that in this code it would be possible to find the key to solving the issue of the cause of cancer. But many hopes were in vain. Even having revealed the fact that a person has a predisposition to cancer in DNA, they still cannot cure a terrible disease at the genetic level.
Risk factors
In the study of how cancer is diagnosed, scientists have many secrets. But they clearly managed to determine what factors can trigger the formation of a tumor. These reasons were called risk factors. These include:
- Carcinogens. Back in the 18th century, a British scientist Pott made a discovery: chimney sweeps suffer from scrotal cancer more often than other men. The reason for this is constant contact with soot. These substances also include asbestos, tobacco smoke, 3,4-benzopyrene and some others.
- Radiation. The sad examples of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as Chernobyl, showed scientists that ionizing radiation is a powerful impetus for the development of cancerous tumors. The incidence rate of people after irradiation has grown forty times.
- Viral infection. To get cancer through the virus is not a myth. It is proved that the human papillomavirus is able to provoke the development of cervical cancer in a woman. This infection can be transmitted sexually, and women who often change partners have a greater risk of developing an oncological disease.
- Hereditary predisposition. In medicine, there is such a thing as "cancerous families." But how do you know what is the likelihood of a child getting cancer? Indeed, if there are several cancer patients in the family, then the likelihood of contracting this disease increases. But to be born in such a family does not at all mean for a person that he will certainly fall ill and die of cancer. This is a predisposition, which may not manifest itself in any way.
- Human lifestyle. What a person eats, what he drinks and how he treats his own body, directly affects his state of health. The influence of bad habits, especially smoking, on the occurrence of cancer has been proven by many years of research in this area.
Cancer Treatment Features
All people know that a disease is easier to prevent than to treat. This is especially true for cancer. A doctor will be able to cure advanced gastritis, but in the case of the last stage of oncology, he most likely will not give good predictions.
Specialists, as a rule, cure cancer well in the early stages.
The technique is selected purely individually. Surgery, radiation or chemotherapy - all these methods are quite effective, but for patients who seek help in a timely manner. After the treatment, doctors judge the effectiveness of the measures taken in terms of five-year survival. If the cancer did not make itself felt during this rehabilitation period, then the doctors conclude that the person is healthy.
Let's take a closer look at how you can get cancer.
Can I get cancer?
Upon learning that a person has an oncological disease, his environment sometimes tries to unwittingly stay away from him. Doctors often hear from their patients the question: "Can I get cancer?" Recent studies by scientists in this field have shown that there are viruses that contribute to the occurrence of a cancerous tumor. These pathogens include:
- The hepatitis B and C. virus. In the vast majority of cases, they are transmitted sexually or through the blood. Once in the body, it affects the liver. Active cell division is initiated, inflammation occurs, and there is a risk of the conversion of healthy tissues to cancerous.
- Human papillomavirus. It is sexually transmitted and can lead to cervical cancer. With an increase in the frequency of changing a partner, a woman increases the risk of developing cancer. The vaccine against papillomavirus is not able to 100% prevent the occurrence of cancer, in addition, it has a lot of contraindications.
- Herpes viruses, including Epstein-Barr. It manifests itself with symptoms of angina and increases the risk of leukemia.
Can I get stomach cancer?
It is believed that the Helicobacter pylori bacterium is capable of causing this severe ailment. How can I get stomach cancer? Kissing a patient or drinking from his glass? Do not panic. This bacterium in itself is not the cause of cancer. If the mucous membrane of the stomach is damaged, then this microorganism can lead to the formation of ulcers. This pathology, in turn, can provoke the development of cancer. But the ulcer caused by Helicobacter pylori is successfully treated with antibiotics. The risk of cancer causes overweight, excessive consumption of red meat and other risk factors described earlier.
How to prevent cervical cancer?
Many women are interested in the question of how not to get cervical cancer? Experts give a number of recommendations:
- Timely and regular visits to the gynecologist. The frequency of examination of a woman by this specialist should be at least twice a year with a pap test. In this mode, it is possible to detect the appearance of neoplasms or other pathological changes in the work of the organs of the female reproductive system in time. This contributes to a timely response to the problem - the necessary therapy - and eliminates more serious problems in the future.
- Suitable and reliable contraception. Proper planning of children will help a woman to avoid abortion. As gynecological practice shows, two out of three women with cervical cancer resorted to abortion. Each abortion done increases the risk of oncology by 8%.
- Avoid random sexual intercourse and frequent change of partners. With unprotected intercourse, the virus is transmitted, which provokes cervical cancer.
- Papillomavirus vaccine. This measure is effective against 80% of the microorganism species.
How does brain cancer occur?
Doctors clearly cannot answer the question of how they get brain cancer. It is not yet possible to determine the causes of the oncology of this organ for science. However, doctors were able to well study the group of factors that are capable of provoking the formation of a brain tumor. These include:
- Genetic indicator. In part, brain cancer can occur in people who have had similar diseases in their families. Also, a number of syndromes can trigger the appearance of cancer. These include neurofibromatosis of the first and second type, Gorlin and Turko syndromes.
- Radiation, or ionizing radiation. This factor is relevant for workers in the nuclear industry. The risk group also includes patients who underwent radiation therapy of the head as a treatment.
- Carcinogenic chemical compounds. People working in the plastics and textile industries are also at risk due to close contact with hazardous chemicals.
Controversy causes an impact on the brain of mobile devices and injuries. There is no direct relationship between them and the occurrence of brain cancer. Conversely, people with a diagnosed oncology of this organ could never have been exposed to just these factors.
What can lead to blood cancer?
For many people, there is nothing worse than getting a blood cancer. Today, this disease takes the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, and the cause of its occurrence is still a mystery to doctors. However, studies in this area have provided clear information about several factors that can trigger leukemia. Among them are the following criteria:
- Radiation People exposed to this dangerous factor have a rather high risk of contracting various forms of leukemia: acute myeloid, chronic myelocytic or acute lymphoblastic.
- Tobacco smoking increases the risk of acute myeloid leukemia.
- Chemotherapy as a method of treating various forms of cancer can be a provocateur of leukemia.
- Congenital chromosomal diseases, such as Down syndrome, increase the risk of leukemia.
- Heredity rarely accompanies the development of blood oncology. If this happens, then we are talking about lymphocytic leukemia.
But even if a person was exposed to one or more factors, this does not mean at all that he will necessarily get leukemia. The disease may not appear.
How does lung cancer occur?
Every person on the planet has heard about the dangers of smoking. However, smokers from this did not decrease. According to statistics, in 90% of cases, this particular cause is the main provoking factor in the development of oncological diseases of the human respiratory system. Heavy smokers themselves do not notice how they get lung cancer.
Tobacco smoke contains a lot of
carcinogens, which, with prolonged exposure, violate the structure of the bronchial epithelium, the cylindrical epithelium turns into a flat multilayer, and lung cancer occurs. At risk are also passive smokers.
The harmful factors that can provoke lung cancer also include:
- The gassed air of large cities.
- Carcinogenic chemicals: chromium, arsenic, nickel, asbestos.
- Chronic inflammatory processes of the respiratory system.
- The transferred tuberculosis.
- Pneumosclerosis
Any pathological changes are clearly visible on the x-ray of the lungs. Therefore, fluorography should be performed annually.
Live without cancer
As practice shows, no one is safe from the occurrence of cancer. However, following some recommendations, you can significantly reduce the risk of getting this terrible ailment. Doctors advise us how to live, so as not to get cancer. Here are some simple recommendations:
- Get rid of tobacco smoking and reduce the risk of cancer by 10 times.
- Take a blood test for viral infections. If a person is a carrier of a dangerous pathogen, then you need to regularly monitor your health.
- Strengthen the immune system. A healthy lifestyle, good rest, practicing all kinds of sports, bathing procedures, hardening - all this strengthens the immune system and leaves no chance of cancer.
- Pay sufficient attention to routine inspection. It is necessary to regularly visit all the necessary specialists and take appropriate tests. Once diagnosed, cancer is almost always curable.
- Avoid stress and negative thoughts. Optimists live longer and better.
Food Against Cancer
Specialists also give us a number of recommendations on how to eat so as not to get cancer. There is a direct pattern between the composition of the diet and the risk of developing an oncological disease. According to the WHO, 40% of cancer cases in men and 60% in women are associated with nutritional errors.
The anticancer diet has two main directions: an obstacle to the intake of food carcinogens into the body and the use of natural oncoprotectors. Doctors give the following nutritional recommendations:
- Limit the use of smoked meats, as polycyclic hydrocarbons are the strongest carcinogens.
- Proper storage of products at a sufficiently low temperature inhibits the development of carcinogens in them.
- The right cooking method is cooking, stewing and steaming.
- Food temperature control: it should not be too hot and cold.
- Do not abuse salt. The daily norm is 5 g, and it is usually found in foods.
- Avoid overeating, which leads to obesity and cancer.
- Reduce the use of animal fats in favor of vegetable oils.
- Adequate intake of vitamins and minerals such as E, A, C, D, B9, B2, B6, B5, potassium, selenium and iodine reduces the risk of cancer.
- Eating vegetable fiber reduces the risk. In the daily diet should be present 5 servings of fresh vegetables, fruits, cereal bran, legumes.
Conclusion
The nature of the occurrence of cancerous tumors has not yet been solved by modern medical science. This disease can occur in a person from an absolutely healthy family, and, on the contrary, a person who is at risk in all respects can happily live to a very old age, not knowing about cancer ailments. Until mankind has found an answer to the question of how people get cancer, and invented potion from it, it is in our power to minimize risk factors and live in harmony with our own bodies. Be healthy and do not get sick!