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Exploring the Root Causes of Cancer: What Triggers the Disease?
By Raveena M Prakash
Cancer is a deadly disease leading to the major cause of deaths across the world. According to WHO, cancer accounted for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020, which means that cancer causes one in six deaths. Understanding the root cause of cancer is crucial for prevention and successful treatment options for cancer’s cure. From genetic mutations to environmental factors and lifestyle choices to viral infections, cancer diseases can emerge from a complex set of triggers.
In this article, we’ll discover more about the common causes of cancer, symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, treatments, and much more!
What is cancer?
Cancer is a group of diseases where abnormal cells grow and multiply out of control and displace normal cells.This deadly disease often begins at the cellular level, when most cells grow uncontrollably and start to replace the normal, healthy cells. This cellular progression happens in multiple stages. It starts from the precancerous stage to the development of malignant cancer or tumors in the body.
There are some cancers that spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or bloodstream through a process known as metastasis.
What causes cancer?
Cancer is often caused by many factors that interact together to produce cancer or a tumor in the body. Many studies suggest that there is no single cause for cancer that developed in people. There are some factors that are often known as genetic, environmental, and other basic reasons. There is a sporadic type of cancer that occurs suddenly due to cell change or gene mutations, which causes childhood cancer in kids.
Childhood cancer often occurs in the stem cells. These are simple cells that are able to produce other types of specialized cells when the body needs it. However, in adults, a type of cell that becomes cancerous often happens in the epithelial cells in the body. Epithelial cells are the specialized cells found in the body cavity, and they often cover the exterior of the body surface.
Cancer risk factors
Cancer, which is caused in adults by the interaction of some risk factors or continuous exposure to environmental or natural carcinogens. A risk factor for cancer is a component that often increases the chances of developing a disease. Risk factors are not direct causes of cancer in people. However, they definitely make the body less resistant to it. These risk factors often trigger the development of cancer in the body.
There are some risk factors contributing to cancer:
- Lifestyle factors
- Family history
- Inheritance
- Genetic mutation
- Virus infection
- Environmental or chemical factors
- Extreme radiation
Cancer genes
Many studies discovered that some genes affect the growth of cancer in the body. These types of genes contribute to cancer in the body. In the majority of cancer cases, 90% of genetic mutation or alteration has been observed. These genes are mostly known as cancer genes. These gene alterations or mutations are mostly inherited, while some cases are caused by some sporadic reason, which means that they occur by chance or happen from environmental exposures, usually over many years.
Types of cancer genes
Cancer genes are mainly categorized into three types. All these three cancer genes affect the cell growth and often mutate to form certain types of cancers in the body.
It may include:
- Oncogenes: An oncogene is a mutated gene that has the potential to become cancer, but not all oncogenes cause cancer or tumors. These genes are a mutated or genetically changed form of a gene popularly known as proto-oncogenes that often manages cell growth. Oncogenes are mostly present in everyone’s body.
- Tumor suppressor genes: These are normal genes that cause a slowdown of cell division to tell the cells to die at the right time. Once the tumor suppressor genes stop working properly, then the cells start to grow out of control, which might lead to cancer in the body.
- Mismatch repair genes: These genes usually help to identify or recognize errors when DNA is copied to make new cells in the body. When the DNA does not match perfectly, then these genes repair the mismatch and correct the error. Once the genes stop working properly, however, errors in the DNA might be transmitted to new cells, which causes them damage.
Types of cancer
Cancers are mainly categorized according to where they start or are located in your body and the type of tissue they affect in the body. For example, if the disease starts in a lung or liver, this can be known as lung cancer or liver cancer.
Cancer diseases are also classified according to the fluid or tissue from which they originate or the location in the body where the disease started. Additionally, there are some cancer diseases known as mixed types.
Here are five categories that indicate the tissue or blood classification of cancer:
Carcinoma
Carcinoma is a type of cancer disease mostly found in the body tissue known as epithelial tissues. These types of tissues cover or line the surfaces of organs, glands or other body structures. For example, if a cancer cell is found in the lining of the stomach, then it is called a carcinoma. Many carcinomas affect the body parts or glands that are involved in secretion, such as breasts, which produce milk. Carcinomas account for 80% to 90% of all cancer cases.
Sarcoma
Sarcoma is a malignant tumor that grows from connective tissues. For example, cartilage, muscle, fat, bones, and tendons. One of the most common sarcomas found in adults is a tumor in the bones, which usually occurs in young adults; for instance, osteosarcoma happens in bone, and chondrosarcoma occurs in cartilage.
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is another type of cancer disease that originates in the nodes or glands of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system of the body produces white blood cells and cleans body fluids, or body parts such as the breast and brain. However, lymphomas are classified into two types: Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Leukemia
Leukemia is popularly known as blood cancer. It often affects the bone marrow, which keeps the marrow from producing red and white blood cells and platelets. White blood cells help to resist infection in the body, while red blood cells prevent anemia in the body. Additionally, platelets in the body help to prevent the body from getting bruised or bleeding.
Here are some of the leukemias: acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Myleoma
Myeloma grows in the plasma cells of bone marrow. In the majority of cases, the myeloma cells collect in any one bone and start to form a single tumor, also known as plasmacytoma. However, in some rare cases, the myeloma cells are found in many bones, which often leads to many bone tumors, also known as multiple myeloma.
Symptoms of Cancer
There are some early symptoms of cancer disease; however, these symptoms can often vary from person to person depending upon the type of cancer, its stage, and the extent of growth in the body.
These may include:
- Fatigue or weakness
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Pain
- Skin texture changes
- Moles start to change, or new moles start to grow.
- Unexpected weight loss
Diagnosis
Cancer screenings and physical examinations are performed once your doctor finds any symptoms of cancer and any family history of cancer. If they see any symptoms, they might perform these tests.
These may include
Blood test for cancer: There are different blood tests, which might include complete blood count (CBC), blood protein tests, and tumor marker tests.
Imaging tests: These tests might include CT scans, MRI, ultrasound, or MIGB.
Biopsies: There are several biopsies used to test for cancer in patients. These may include surgical biopsies and non-surgical biopsies.
Genetic testing: These tests are used to diagnose any inherited or genetic forms of cancer.
Treatments
Cancer is a life-threatening disease. Healthcare providers treat this deadly disease in several ways, depending upon each patient’s medical condition and type of cancer. The treatment plan for cancer patients is often designed to meet their needs and requirements.
The treatment plan for a cancer patient is based on several factors such as:
- Type and stage of cancer
- Patient’s age
- Overall health
- Lifestyle
Some common treatments may include:
Chemotherapy: This is a common cancer treatment, often performed on cancer patients to destroy cancer cells with powerful medicines. These medicines are often given to patients in the form of pills or intravenously through a needle to a vein.
Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, is another common cancer treatment. It is used to destroy cancer cells with heavy doses of radiation.
Immunotherapy:
Immunotherapy is another cancer treatment; this treatment is used to stimulate the immune system of cancer patients to fight against the disease.
Targeted therapy:
It is used to target the genetic mutations or changes that turn the healthy cells into cancer cells.
Hormone therapy: This treatment is used to block cancer-causing hormones in the body. For example, people with prostate cancer might receive hormones to lower testosterone, which contributes to cancer.
Bone marrow transplant:
This cancer treatment is usually used to replace damaged blood cells with healthy cells.
Surgery: Cancer surgeries are often performed to remove the cancerous tumors that haven’t spread into other body parts.
The majority of cancer treatments come with several side effects. All these side effects might change depending upon the type of treatment and how your body tolerates or responds to this.
Prevention
If you are concerned about cancer prevention, then there are some preventive measures, recommended for lowering the chances of cancer in people, these may include lifestyle modifications and other factors that help to reduce the chance of cancer growth in the body.
Here are some things that lower the chance of cancer risk in people:
- Stop smoking and don’t use tobacco
- Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet
- Keep a healthy weight
- Stay physically active
- Avoid exposure to the sun
- Get vaccinated
- Practice safe sex
- Get regular checkups
Consult Today
Cancer is a leading cause of death across the world and a global concern of many developing countries, such as India. Understanding the root causes of cancer is vital for treating this deadly disease. From genetic mutations to environmental factors and some lifestyle choices to viral infections, cancer diseases can emerge from a complex set of triggers. However, the good news is that many of these factors can be modified, such as smoking, following a poor diet, and exposure to environmental, harmful chemicals and natural carcinogens, and are preventable and often manageable with cancer awareness and on-time medical intervention.
At Oncare Cancer Center, we believe early diagnosis, personalized treatments, and expert consultation can make a significant impact on your cancer treatments. Our expert team is highly committed to treating your cancer along with helping patients to recognize the causes and triggers to take proactive steps towards a better outcome and better results from treatments.
If you or any loved one of yours is seeking guidance or a personalized cancer consultation, then visit our Oncare Cancer Center in Delhi for affordable, premium-quality treatments and second opinions.
Visit Oncare Cancer Center’s website and book an appointment today. Get an estimated cost of your cancer treatment today. Trust OnCare, because we walk with you until you are cancer-free!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
There are some signs and symptoms associated with cancer growth in the body. It may include:
- Fatigue and weakness
- A lump or thickening felt under the skin
- Weight loss or unexpected weight loss or gain
- Feels difficulty in eating or swallowing foods
- Indigestion or discomfort
- Continuous muscle pain or joint pain
- Continuous fever
- Experiencing night sweats
- Unexplained bruises or bleeding
There are some risk factors which cause the chance of developing cancer: These may include:
- Age
- Gender
- Habits and lifestyle
- History of cancer in the family
- Health conditions
- Exposure of chemicals
Here are some of the ways to prevent cancer, these may include:
- Quit smoking and tobacco use
- Avoid excessive sun exposure
- Eat a healthy, balanced diet
- Practice exercise
- Stop excessive alcohol consumption
- Get your vaccinations
- Maintain a healthy weight
Survival rates of cancer are an approximate estimate based on the experiences of large groups of people with several types of cancer. Survival rates of cancer can often be varied due to cancer type, its stage, and treatments. These rates can’t predict a patient's recovery from cancer and how the patient's body responds to treatments.