Why many people get cancer?

The existence of cancer as a disease dates back to prehistoric times. But it appears that the number of those who have it is growing. Why is that so?

One mutant cell that grows out of control is the origin of all cancer. This cell has the capacity to divide and grow indefinitely.

Over 200 distinct cancer kinds have been found by scientists. Statistics indicate an increase in cancer rates. However, humans are generally living longer. About 1 in 2 Canadians will develop cancer at some point in their lives, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. Some doctors have stated that modern lifestyles are to blame. This is accurate up to a point. For instance, smoking can result in cancer. The same is true for air pollution brought on by human activities such as driving and industrial processes. But because people are living longer, our chances of getting cancer rise as a result. This is due to the protracted development of many malignancies. Before cancer had a chance to form, people frequently passed away from other causes in the past.

1. Why cancer incidence is increasing?

Simply becoming older is by far the biggest risk factor for most malignancies. In the UK, people 60 and older account for more than three-quarters of all cancer diagnoses.

This is so because cancer is a genetic disease. Meaning it is caused by the DNA code fragments that contain the instructions for all of the tiny components of our cells’ internal machinery. The errors that have accumulated over time in this coding are now visible in the DNA of cancer. And it is because of these errors that a cell may begin its path to malignancy.

Errors might accumulate over a longer period of time as we age. So, as time goes on and we get more of these genetic flaws, our likelihood of acquiring cancer increases.

You can see how the UK’s life expectancy has risen over time in the graph below, which also shows that a record number of individuals are now living into their senior years.

As a result, more individuals than ever are living to a later age, when their chance of contracting cancer is increased.

2. What causes cancer?

Cancer is a hereditary disease, meaning that genetic abnormalities that affect how our cells function—particularly how they grow and divide—cause the cancer.

Normally, the body gets rid of DNA-damaged cells before they develop into cancer. However, as we age, the body becomes less capable of doing so. Later in life, the risk of developing cancer is increased in part because of this.

A different set of genetic alterations are present in every person’s cancer. Additional alterations will take place as the malignancy develops further. Diverse cells can have different genetic alterations, even within the same tumor.

Proto-oncogenes, one of three major gene categories, are typically impacted by the genetic alterations that cause cancer. genes that suppress cancer. furthermore, genes that repair DNA. These modifications are referred to be cancer’s “drivers” at times.

Normal cell development and division are regulated by proto-oncogenes. However, these genes can be changed or become more active than usual. They might develop into cancer-causing genes (also known as oncogenes), which help cells to grow and endure when they shouldn’t.

For instance, the number of overweight and obese individuals in the UK is increasing, which increases their risk of 13 different malignancies. The lifestyle of sunbathing and using sunbeds in our country is also a factor in the rise in melanoma skin cancer cases.

Cancer can also be brought on by lifestyle decisions and environmental factors. Cancer-causing genetic changes can be sparked by toxins and pollutants that we unknowingly or knowingly come into touch with every day.

3. Once cancer has spread

Metastatic cancer is a type of cancer that has spread from the area of the body where it first developed to another. Metastasis is the term used to describe the process by which cancer cells spread to different areas of the body.

The nomenclature and type of cancer cells used to describe metastatic cancer are the same as those used to describe primary cancer. For instance, breast cancer that spreads to the lung and develops a metastatic tumor is breast cancer, not lung cancer.

Cells of metastatic cancer typically resemble those of the primary malignancy under a microscope. Additionally, there are typically some molecular similarities between metastatic cancer cells and the initial cancer cells. such as the existence of particular chromosomal alterations.

Patients with metastatic cancer may in certain situations live longer thanks to treatment. In other situations, the main objective of treatment for metastatic cancer is to slow the spread of the disease or alleviate the symptoms it is causing. The majority of cancer patients who pass away do so due to metastatic illness, which can seriously impair how the body works.

4. Conclusion

Overall, there are some positive aspects of cancer. You can choose a different way of living right now to lower your risk of developing cancer. The methods used for cancer diagnosis and therapy are constantly evolving. The mapping and study of the human genome are altering how clinicians screen and determine the likelihood of developing particular tumors in the first place. You can now, for instance, get tested for a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. You may be more likely to get breast cancer if you have certain gene alterations. Anyone who tests positive for these gene variants can arrange more frequent screenings after learning this information. This is an illustration of a preventative action people can take to avoid developing breast cancer in the first place.