What causes Cancer?

The cancers do not caused by an individual reason. There are various factors that affect the cells to damage or make them divide rapidly and increase the chance of becoming abnormal. One cannot restrict the causes of cancer because there are various factors that can cause cancer to our body. Let’s get more detail on the causes of cancer.

Cell mutation can be a cause of cancer

Generally when the cells in our body divides, the new cells are the same copies of the old cells. Sometimes it may happen in worst scenarios that the new sells are showing little different characters from the old cell. This happens when the process of cell dividing goes wrong and new cells shows different characters from old cell.

This kind of change happens in DNA inside the cell and this is termed as mutation. While most of the cells with mutation will die or not cause any problem, a very few will go on to resulting cancer. 

What causes cell mutation?

The more frequently cell divides, the greater will be the chances of happening mutation. Most of the mutations are impromptu, with no actual reason for the change. However the factors that results mutations are-

· Breakdown of cell DNA

ü Radiation including UV radiation from the Sun

ü Chemicals present in tobacco smoke

ü Substances generate by the body termed as Oxygen Species

· Frequent division of cells

ü Getting older that enhances the No. of times the cell has undergone division

ü The female hormones oestrogen that stimulates few cells in the breast or womb to divide

· Abnormal cells not dying

ü The HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) can help the abnormal cells in few areas of our body to continue live & undergo division.

What includes risk factors in cancer?

The risk factors are the conditions that enhance the chances of getting cancer. Some kind of risk factors cannot be changed (such as the person’s age or family background) and some can be changed (such as the lifestyle risk factors of a person). The risk factors for cancer includes-

· There are many cancers that are more common in old age people.

· Sometimes if a family has faulty genes, it can be passed from generation to generation. It increases the chances of causing cancer.

· Some cancers can be caused from the chemicals in tobacco smoke such as lung cancer.

· Addiction to alcohol can also cause severe cancers.

· Some viruses & other organisms- HPV results most cases of cervical cancer.

· The obesity can also be a reason to certain cancers.

· Unhealthy diet & lack of physical activities enhances the risk factors of some cancers.