I've done a lot of personal stories and tributes as well as showcasing lots of my favourite charities so far on this blog but I haven't actually provided many facts or information about cancer. Yesterday I posted about the link between Smoking and Cancer and it was a huge success. The response was phenomenal and it has inspired me to do more factual related blog posts. Hopefully it will mean my readers learn something they didn't know and will understand more about the horrible disease, how to try and prevent it and what symptoms to look out for. As the saying goes "Knowledge is power!"
This blog post will be all about what actually causes cancer.
What Causes Cancer?
Fundamentally cancer is caused by damaged or faulty genes. Genes tell our cells what to do. Genes are encoded within our DNA so anything can can damage DNA can increase the risk of cancer. However several genes in the same cell will need to be damaged before it leads to cancer.
Most cancers will develop after DNA damage accumulates over a person's lifetime. Cancers like Georgie's; directly caused by a specific gene fault inherited from a parent are very rare. However everyone has a subtle difference in a our genes that may slightly increase or decrease our chances of getting cancer.
Cancer isn't just caused by our genes. Our lifestyles play a huge part too. Nobody can change their genetic makeup but we all can take important steps to reduce the risk of developing cancer. As mentioned yesterday - not smoking is just one of the lifestyle choices we can make to try to prevent cancer.
Other Lifestyle Choices To Consider:
Age - The single biggest risk factor for cancer. As you get older, your chances of developing cancer increase. Nearly 2/3 cancer cases in the UK are occurring in people over sixty five. Obviously this is because as we age, we accumulate more cancer causing faults in our DNA. People live much long nowadays which means our chances of picking up these cancer causing faults are increasing.
Lifestyle - Nearly half of all cancers can be prevented by changes to lifestyle. There are many ways we can try and lessen our risk of cancer:
* Giving Up Smoking
* Being responsible in the sun
* Eating a balanced diet
* Limiting alcohol
* Regular exercise
* Having a healthy body weight
Carcinogens - This literally translates as "something that causes cancer" They can damage DNA and cause damage to important genes which will lead to cancer. Examples of common carcinogens are:
* Tobacco
* Car exhaust fumes
* Air pollution
* The sun
* Radiation (both natural and man made) for example X-Rays
* Asbestos
Please don't think carcinogens are the only cause of cancer, in most cases they are a contributing factor and are joined by a number of other factors.
Inherited Fault Genes - Obviously this is the factor I am most familiar with. Some people (like Georgie) are born with a gene containing a fault. This doesn't guarantee them a battle with cancer but it does mean fewer things need to go wrong with their DNA for the disease to develop. They are more vulnerable to the disease. They have a higher risk. People with a strong family history of cancer can be genetically tested. It is incredibly important. Please visit www.tp53.co.uk for more information about this. As a family we really do believe more people need to be genetically tested and are trying to make it happen.
Viruses - There are some viruses that can be linked to some types of cancer. Don't confuse a virus with an infection - cancer is not contagious - you cannot catch it from someone else. some examples of these viruses are:
* Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a major cause of cervical cancer
* Hepatitis B and C can cause primary liver cancer
* Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been linked to several cancers. This is because it weakens the immune system.
Hopefully now you will understand some of the factors that can lead to a cancer diagnosis. If you have any worries at all please do go to your GP or visit the Cancer Research UK website (www.cancerresearchuk.org) you can also send me a message and I will try to provide support.
If you are worried about genetic disorders and would like to get more information or find out how to arrange testing, please do visit the George Pantziarka TP53 Trust www.tp53.co.uk we will try to provide as much help and support as possible.
xxx
This blog post will be all about what actually causes cancer.
What Causes Cancer?
Fundamentally cancer is caused by damaged or faulty genes. Genes tell our cells what to do. Genes are encoded within our DNA so anything can can damage DNA can increase the risk of cancer. However several genes in the same cell will need to be damaged before it leads to cancer.
Most cancers will develop after DNA damage accumulates over a person's lifetime. Cancers like Georgie's; directly caused by a specific gene fault inherited from a parent are very rare. However everyone has a subtle difference in a our genes that may slightly increase or decrease our chances of getting cancer.
Cancer isn't just caused by our genes. Our lifestyles play a huge part too. Nobody can change their genetic makeup but we all can take important steps to reduce the risk of developing cancer. As mentioned yesterday - not smoking is just one of the lifestyle choices we can make to try to prevent cancer.
Other Lifestyle Choices To Consider:
Age - The single biggest risk factor for cancer. As you get older, your chances of developing cancer increase. Nearly 2/3 cancer cases in the UK are occurring in people over sixty five. Obviously this is because as we age, we accumulate more cancer causing faults in our DNA. People live much long nowadays which means our chances of picking up these cancer causing faults are increasing.
Lifestyle - Nearly half of all cancers can be prevented by changes to lifestyle. There are many ways we can try and lessen our risk of cancer:
* Giving Up Smoking
* Being responsible in the sun
* Eating a balanced diet
* Limiting alcohol
* Regular exercise
* Having a healthy body weight
Carcinogens - This literally translates as "something that causes cancer" They can damage DNA and cause damage to important genes which will lead to cancer. Examples of common carcinogens are:
* Tobacco
* Car exhaust fumes
* Air pollution
* The sun
* Radiation (both natural and man made) for example X-Rays
* Asbestos
Please don't think carcinogens are the only cause of cancer, in most cases they are a contributing factor and are joined by a number of other factors.
Inherited Fault Genes - Obviously this is the factor I am most familiar with. Some people (like Georgie) are born with a gene containing a fault. This doesn't guarantee them a battle with cancer but it does mean fewer things need to go wrong with their DNA for the disease to develop. They are more vulnerable to the disease. They have a higher risk. People with a strong family history of cancer can be genetically tested. It is incredibly important. Please visit www.tp53.co.uk for more information about this. As a family we really do believe more people need to be genetically tested and are trying to make it happen.
Viruses - There are some viruses that can be linked to some types of cancer. Don't confuse a virus with an infection - cancer is not contagious - you cannot catch it from someone else. some examples of these viruses are:
* Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a major cause of cervical cancer
* Hepatitis B and C can cause primary liver cancer
* Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been linked to several cancers. This is because it weakens the immune system.
Hopefully now you will understand some of the factors that can lead to a cancer diagnosis. If you have any worries at all please do go to your GP or visit the Cancer Research UK website (www.cancerresearchuk.org) you can also send me a message and I will try to provide support.
If you are worried about genetic disorders and would like to get more information or find out how to arrange testing, please do visit the George Pantziarka TP53 Trust www.tp53.co.uk we will try to provide as much help and support as possible.
xxx
No comments:
Post a Comment