Cancer is a disease caused by abnormal growth of body tissue cells. Cancer cells grew rapidly, uncontrolled, and continue to divide, then infiltration into surrounding tissues (invasive) and continue to spread through body tissue, blood, and attack vital organs and spinal cord.
Under normal circumstances, cells only will divide if there are replacement cells that have died and broken. Otherwise, cancer cells will continue divide even the body does not need it, so it occurs an accumulation of new cells, called malignant tumors. The stacking cells will damage normal tissue, thus disturbing the organs they occupied.
Cancer can occur in various tissues in various organs on every part of body, ranging from feet to head. If cancer occurs on the surface of the body, will be easily detected and cure. But if there is in the body, the cancer will be difficult to detect and sometimes have no symptoms. Although have symptoms, usually already an advanced stage that its difficult to treat.
Many type of cancer are caused by environmental risk factors such as smoking, alcohol abuse, sun exposure, and poor nutrition. By knowing what causes cancer is the first step in cancer prevention. So can reduce the likelihood of developing cancer.
Cancer Causes and Risk Factors
Genetic Factors
Genetic factors caused some families have higher risk for certain cancers compared with other families. Type of cancer which tend inherited in the family are breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer and skin cancer. For example, the risk for women suffer cancer increased 1.5 to 3 times if her mother or sister had breast cancer.
Environmental Factors
- Cigarette smoke increases the risk of occurring lung cancer, mouth, larynx, and bladder cancer.
- Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun
- Ionizing radiation used in x-ray can damage normal cells and increase the risk of developing breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and lung cancer.Foods that contain chemicals
Food also an essential risk factor causes of cancer, especially cancers of the digestive tract. Some foods that can cause cancer are:
- high cholesterol diets are proven risk factor for several types of cancers such as uterine cancer, Colorectal cancer (colon cancer) and prostate cancer.
- Drinks that contain alcohol cause higher risk for esophageal cancer.
- Food coloring.
- Heavy metals like mercury are often found in contaminated seafood such as shellfish, fish, etc.Psychological Factor
Severe stress can cause balance disorders. A tense situation could affect the cells, where cells become hyperactive and changed its character become malignant, so causing cancer.
Viruses
virus that can cause cancer, include:
- Papillomavirus causes genital warts presumably is one cause of cervical cancer in women.
- Cytomegalovirus causes Kaposi’s sarcoma (cancer of the blood vessel system which is marked by red skin lesions)
- Hepatitis B virus can cause liver cancer.
- Epstein-Barr virus cause cancer of the nose and throat.
- RetroVirus in humans such as HIV virus causes lymphoma and other blood cancers.
