Cancer happens when abnormally replicating cells grow and spread in a way that healthy cells wouldn’t. Cancer cells multiply without ceasing and can form a tumour.
A cancer cell first forms when there is a change in the genetic material – or so-called control centre – in a normal cell. The cell starts to grow in an uncontrolled way. The cells are abnormal in the way they look and function, but the body’s immune system does not recognise these as abnormal, harmful cells – and so they continue to multiply.
Healthy cells grow in an orderly, controlled way and are constantly renewing themselves. Each day cells die and are replaced by new cells. When a cell doesn’t follow the normal pattern of growth and death, it grows uncontrollably, making a tumour or lump.
Cancer is not discriminatory – it can affect anyone: men, women and children. It can happen at any age, and the reasons one person gets it rather than another aren’t clear.
Factors that make you more prone to cancer
There are some reasons that might make you more prone to cancer, but the reasons the cells change from normal to abnormal are very complex and still mostly unknown. Some factors that may play a role are:
Hereditary factors
Cancers that run in families can be caused by an abnormal gene (mutated gene) that is passed from generation to generation. Only about 5% to 10% of all cancers are thought to result from inherited gene mutations.
Lifestyle factors
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is critical to potentially avoiding cancer. No matter how much smoking, drinking, and junk food provide enjoyment, they do so at the expense of your lifespan, weaken your immune system, cause body-wide inflammation, and leave you susceptible to diseases such as cancer.
Viruses and bacteria
Certain viral and bacterial infections can cause cancer or increase the risk that cancer will form. Epstein-Barr virus, human papillomavirus (HPV), HIV, chlamydia trachomatis and helicobacter pylori are examples of viruses and bacteria that are linked to cancer.
Hormones
Certain hormonal therapies may increase the risk of cancer. For example, combined menopausal hormone therapy increases the risk of breast cancer and treatment with oestrogen alone increases the risk of endometrial cancer. Talk to your doctor to decide on appropriate hormonal therapy for your specific circumstances.
Exposure to toxins
Given the same exposure to the same toxins over the same period of time, someone with a healthy immune system may have no adverse effects while someone with a compromised immune system may eventually develop cancer. Asbestos is well known to cause lung cancer.
Cancer is most commonly diagnosed in people who do not take care of their bodies. Scientists and experts around the world agree that more than half of all cancers are preventable.
Living healthily is not an absolute protection from cancer. Some people develop a form of the disease despite looking after their health and wellbeing. Doctors are not always sure of what causes us to develop cancer and agree we need further research into this illness to allow us to better predict risk in conjunction with an understanding of genetics, lifestyle choices and environmental factors.