For starters, it is relevant to
cancers in the right perspective. By way of
definition, a cancer is a malignant tumor or swelling compound of abnormal
cells capable of undergoing uncontrolled proliferation. Many mistakenly believe
that each swelling or lump is cancer. Unlike benign tumors, cancer cells often
tend to invade surrounding tissues, and sometimes metastasis (spread out and
break) to distant tissues of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic
system. Cancers result when there is an interruption of the normal process of
cell division. Body cells are constantly during cell division, even in a
controlled manner to replace the aging and dead cells. Arguably the cancer
health issue is huge. Cancer is said to kill more people each year than HIV /
AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. According to the International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2030, over 21 million new cancer cases were
diagnosed with 13 million people who die of cancer every year. In addition, the
statistics showed that 80,000 Nigerian women die from various forms of cancer
each year with breast cancer on the list.
The complex interaction of
various risk factors, some of which are discussed below determines who comes
down with cancer and who does not:
1. Smoking
Cigarette smoke, active or passive is involved in the
majority of cancers, including lung, nasopharynx, esophagus, and the prostate
cancer to mention a few. Approximately 98% of patients with small cell lung
cancer (SCLC) have a significant history of smoking and, fortunately, smoking
cessation was associated with improved patient survival.
2. Obesity
Compared to people of normal weight and body mass
index (BMI), obese people have an increased risk of certain cancers, including
cancer of the pancreas, colon, kidney, esophagus, breast and endometrial, among
others. High levels of estrogen have been associated with an increased risk of
breast cancer and endometrial cancer. Furthermore, obese people are more likely
to have high blood levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)
that promote the development of certain cancers. Studies have shown that
overweight and obesity are 200-400% higher risk of endometrial cancer than
their counterparts with normal BMI.
3. HIV / AIDS
Immunocompromised individuals, such as people living with HIV / AIDS are at
increased risk of developing certain types of cancer. Three of these cancers, namely, Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and
cervical cancer are referred to as AIDS-defining illnesses. Other types of
cancer that are at risk include anal cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and lung
cancer. Because HIV / AIDS weakens the immune system, it is believed that
predispose to other infections that can cause cancer infection, for example
human papillomavirus (HPV) has been implicated in cancer of the uterus.
4. Excessive consumption of alcohol
Studies have shown that excessive alcohol consumption
increases the risk of mouth, throat, esophagus and liver cancer. Therefore, if
you stop excessive alcohol consumption, the risk of these deadly cancers will
be significantly lower.
5. Excessive exposure to sunlight
People who are exposed to intense sunlight
inadvertently increase the risk of skin cancer. Numerous studies have
implicated UV radiation (UV) in the pathology of skin cancers, including
melanoma.
6. Family history
For most cancers, the people who have one or more
close relatives (especially first degree relatives) who have been diagnosed
with such cancers have a significantly higher risk. For example, a family
history of breast cancer in a first degree relative is an important risk factor
for this cancer. If a mother or sister is affected by breast cancer the risk of
developing the disease is increased four folds.
7. Increasing
age
As people
age increases the risk for most cancers also tends to increase.
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