Cancer is one of the scariest words in the English
language. When you hear the word as part of a diagnosis, it's
natural to feel many emotions, especially fear.
A cancer diagnosis can cause you and your family a great deal of
stress, but you have many resources to help you. You owe it to
yourself to learn as much as possible about your diagnosis and how
it can be treated. Knowledge is power, and it can help you deal
with this disease.
What is cancer?
Cancer is a disease that occurs when cells in the body begin to
divide at a faster rate than the body requires. These rapidly
dividing cells grow into a lump that is known as a tumor. The tumor
can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
What are the causes of cancer?
Many factors can cause the development of cancer in the body.
Some of these factors, such as heredity (family members who have
the disease) cannot be avoided. Others, such as lifestyle, can be
controlled.
For instance, the use of tobacco is one of the main causes of
cancer, especially lung cancer. Tobacco use, whether in the form of
smoking, chewing, or exposure to second-hand smoke (smoking by
others), can also cause cancer of the mouth and larynx, esophagus,
throat, and many other parts of the body.
Other primary causes of cancer include:
- Diet/nutrition -- The proper diet is
always important, but a poor diet might also increase your risk of
cancer. For instance, eating large amounts of high-fat foods can
contribute to cancer of the colon and prostate. Exercise is also
key. Excess weight might be a contributing factor for various types
of cancer, including breast, uterus, ovary, prostate, and
colon.
- Environment -- Cancer can develop if the
person is exposed over a period of time to various chemicals in the
environment, including pesticides, asbestos, and radon.
- Exposure to radiation -- Too much
exposure to the sun (ultraviolet radiation) can cause skin cancer.
In addition, over-exposure to X-rays or to radiation therapy (as
part of cancer treatment) might be a risk factor for cancer.
- Hormone therapy -- Women who are going
through menopause might receive a prescription for hormone
replacement therapy, either estrogen alone or in combination with
progesterone. The use of both of these hormones together has been
shown to increase the risk of breast cancer. A woman who still has
her uterus and is taking estrogen alone (without progesterone) has
a greater risk of endometrial cancer.