Essay Sample on Causes of Cancer

Introduction

Cancer is the condition whereby abnormal cells in the body divide and multiply without stopping, and they end up destroying the healthy body tissues. The common types of cancer include breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer, cancer of the blood (leukemia), colon cancer, throat cancer, and skin cancer among others. All types of cancer come about as a malfunction of the genetic formation that takes care of the growth of cells in the body, the division of the said cells and their death. It is important to note however that the biggest percentage of these genetic malfunctions that cause cancer are not hereditary but are a result of the damaged genetic formation. Some things cause the malfunction of genes that is referred to as cancer. 90 percent of these causes are mostly internal and external factors. The former include hormones and the cell metabolism while the latter comprises of chemicals, tobacco, and exposure to too much sunlight. These external and internal causes that are non-hereditary are often referred to as somatic mutations. The remaining10 percent fall under the category of hereditary cancer. This means that there are individuals who inherit genetic alteration and these individuals possess an extremely high risk of developing the particular type of cancer inherited. Most types of cancers are as a result of inherited genetic alteration and the environment that a person is exposed to. What determines whether one is at risk of developing cancer is the lifestyle one chooses, the food one eats and the environmental factors surrounding the individual.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Tobacco is arguably the leading cause of cancer throughout the world. That translates to lung cancer being leading cancer in the universe for some decades now. All around the world, the use of tobacco is the leading cause of the menace that is cancer. The most common type of cancer is lung cancer probably because of the popularity and availability of cigarettes. The chemicals dominant in the smoke produced by the cigarettes enter the body through the lungs into the bloodstream and may end up destroying the whole body. Apart from lung cancer, cigarette smoke is responsible for many other types of cancer including throat cancer and cancer of the esophagus and the oral cavity, disease of the heart and different diseases related to the lungs. Alongside lung cancer, smokers have a high risk of getting different types of cancer associated with tobacco use when compared to people who do not smoke. There is no safer way of using tobacco. Be it e-cigarette, shisha or hookah, whichever way one chooses to use tobacco; they do not reduce the risk of getting cancer. The risk of getting cancer is the same for smokers who opt for cigarettes which have low-tar and filters and for smokers who use the ordinary cigarettes. Smoking is addictive and an increased intake of tobacco per day increases the chances of getting cancer. Smoke from tobacco damages an individual's DNA. It also destroys the important genes that fight against cancer. Benzene, nitrosamines, and polonium-210 are examples of the chemicals found in cigarettes that alter the body's DNA. It is not smokers only who are at risk of getting cancer, but second-hand smokers are also susceptible to lung cancer. Both active and passive smoking have been ranked among the leading causes of lung cancer in the United States of America.

What we eat or do not eat daily increases or reduces our risk of getting cancer. When it comes to diet, the inclusion of processed meat in one's daily meals increases the risk of cancer. Processed meat includes sausages, hot dogs, ham, and bacon. This is due to the increased risk factor of cancer of the colon. The main issue of concern when it comes to processed meat is the meat itself but the method using which the meat has been processed. The processes of processing the meat include curing, smoking and using salt and preservatives in the meat. The consumption of at least 50 grams of any processed meat everyday heightens the risk of getting cancer of the colon by approximately 20 percent. Second, on the list is farmed salmon. Although it is significantly cheaper than wildly caught salmon, farmed salmon contains very high levels of contaminants that are capable of causing cancer. The pollutants referred to as polychlorinated biphenyls are sixteen times higher in farmed salmon than in wild salmon, four times higher than in beef and three times higher than in other types of seafood. The third is microwave popcorn. Microwave popcorn contains unnatural butter and the fumes that are emitted by the microwave popcorn are made up of diacetyl; a very harmful element that causes lung cancer. This compound is what gives the popcorns the unusual smell and taste of butter. Grilled meat is also on the list of foods to be avoided as it increases one's risk of getting cancer. The process of grilling meat involves the use of extremely high temperatures which in turn produce carcinogenic substances. Sodas and carbonated beverages are also on top of cancer-causing foods. Carbonated beverages contain dyes, high fructose corn syrup among other harmful chemicals which are in all senses bad for our health. They add no value to the body nutritionally. On the contrary, they deprive the body the important nutrients it gets from other healthy foods. Other harmful foods that heighten the risk of cancer include hydrogenated oils, refined sugars, and genetically modified foods.

It is not the good natural sunlight that causes cancer. On the contrary, a small dose of the sun is healthy for the body. What causes cancer is the excessive ultraviolet radiation produced by the sun. When enjoyed safely, the sun could help in reducing the melanoma; a very severe cancer of the skin. Doctors do not advocate for the use of sunscreen because the chemicals found in most sunscreens contain cancer-causing agents. The excessive ultraviolet rays on the skin or sunbeds are capable of altering the genetic composition of the cells that make up the skin. Over a period, the damaged DNA builds up and results in the uncontrollable growth of cells which makes the skin susceptible to cancer. Other than skin cancer, ultraviolet rays can cause lip cancer and different types of eye cancer. Ultraviolet rays do not go deep in the body hence it is hard for it to cause any cancer of the inner organs. A good number of cancers of the skin are as a result of too much exposure to the ultraviolet rays found in sunlight. The two types of cancer that are diagnosed most frequently are squamous cell cancer and basal cell cancer, and both are often found on body parts that are daily exposed to the sun. Artificial ultraviolet radiation also exposes one to the risk of cancer. These unnatural UV rays include indoor tanning, welding and metal work, and phototherapy. People who live in areas which have high levels of sun, people who spend so much time in the sun especially recreational, and people who have had previous episodes of sunburns are at risk of cancer from the ultraviolet rays.

Conclusion

As can be seen, cancer is a disease of the genes. This means that its primary cause is any alteration in the gene composition that monitors the functions of cells in the body. The process of how cells grow, divide and die should be a smooth one; there should be no abnormal growth of cells, or cells dividing when they are not supposed to. These genetic alterations can arise from some situations as mentioned earlier. They can be handed down to an individual from the parents through inheritance. Also, they can occur from errors during cell growth and division in the life of any individual, and they can also occur as a result of the destruction of one's DNA formula. DNA formula can be altered by the foods we eat, the lifestyle we choose and exposure to harmful environmental hazards. Cancer not only takes its toll on the patient but also on the family and friends of the patient. The concerned are affected emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually and most of all, financially. It can result in stress and worse still depression. Most of the cases discussed above are avoidable. That is why it is advisable that we stay safe and eat healthy so that we can stay away from the menace that is cancer.