Cancer is a pretty scary word, especially when it affects our own health or that of a loved one. Medically speaking, cancer occurs due to the rapid division of abnormal cells, which results in development of benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumors. Cancer is responsible for almost 1,7000,000 new cases annually in the United States.
Additionally, research from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) indicates that the most prevailing forms of the disease include the following forms of cancer in North America:
- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Rectum and colon cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Melanoma, or skin cancer
- Non-hodgkin lymphoma
- Thyroid cancer
- Renal, or kidney cancer
Common symptoms of cancer
The most common early warning signs of cancer will present differently, depending on the type and stage of cancer the patient is in. Cancers are diagnosed in four stages and obviously early detection is vital for increasing the patients treatment and life expectancy. However, early warning signs of cancer may include:
- Moles that change shape, color, texture, or size
- Moles or growths with discharge or bleeding
- Cuts or injuries that don’t heal
- Sudden weight loss
- Development of growths or tumors
- Loss of appetite
- Swallowing issues
- Bowel and digestive issues
- Urination frequency or difficulty
- Chronic cough
Common causes of cancer
Due to the fact that cancer is considered a “collection of related diseases” by health professionals, several factors can be responsible for aiding the development of abnormal cell growth characteristic to cancer, such as:
1. Environmental
Several environmental factors have long been linked to increasing the risk of cancer. For example, smoking and chewing tobacco, as well as exposure to second-hand smoking are known to increase the risk of several types of cancer (i.e., mouth, throat, lung, and esophageal cancers) in addition to exposure to certain chemicals (i.e., asbestos, UV rays, radiation, and pesticides) and linked to increased risk of melanoma.
2. Hormonal
Hormones have a significant impact on overall health. Particularly for women undergoing HRT (or taking prescribed estrogen and progesterone) in the perimenopausal and menopausal years are at heightened risk of breast and endometrial cancer.
3. Genetics
Family history of particular cancers has long been linked to increased risk in family members. For instance, specific gene mutations that run in families can accelerate the risk of developing those cancers (i.e., prostate, breast, ovarian, colorectal, and etc.). Patients can also undergo genetic testing to discover if any hereditary cancers run in their families.
4. Diet and physicality
Nutrition and body weight have also been linked to contributing to certain forms of cancer (i.e., colon and prostate cancer)—particularly in high weight individuals who eat a diet diets rich in fatty, processed foods.
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