How The Environment Affects The Chances Of Cancer In Humans - Essay Sample

Introduction

An environment is the external conditions that influence the growth of human beings, animals and plants. Ecology is the study of the interaction between organisms and the physical environment. The environment is thought to be the major cause of various human cancers. Population ecology is the study of the processes that influence the distribution and population of plants and animals. The environmental factors that lead to cancer are natural or artificial agents. These agents are faced by people in their routine life, and they have limited or no individual control. Population growth plays a primary role in environmental sustainability; high growth population negatively impacts on the quality of the environment. Increased population will result in more land being used for agricultural or living purposes that result in significant changes to the environment. Various habitats are destroyed since the rising population is using up the available resources and putting more pressure. Nature cannot refill those resources instantly to satisfy the population needs. Therefore, the atmosphere as well is negatively affected. The level of carbon dioxide significantly increases as the urban population increases. Hence, emissions increase as well. Therefore, more heat will be experienced as a result of the destruction of the ozone layer permitting harmful radiations from the sun to the surface of the earth that could cause skin cancer. Air pollution is also a great threat to human health; air pollution in China is threatening the existence of the population since it causes respiratory cancer at an alarming rate. The most common environmental exposures are indoor and outdoor air pollution, soil contamination, and water pollution (Clapp et al., 2008). Some of the carcinogens present in the environment include asbestos, tobacco smoke, radon, arsenic, and by products of chlorination. This research paper provides an outline of the environmental causes of cancer.

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Current Problem

Cancer is regarded as the second highest cause of death in the United States. In 2016, cancer was the leading cause of death in the United States that had overtaken heart disease. Furthermore, the cases are expected to rise by approximately 45% by 2030. However, it might seem to be a simple group of disease conceptually; the occurrence of an uncontrolled division of cells in the human body. The division of cells become too high for the effective functioning of body organs loss of function in the organ. Cancer is caused by a modification to particular genes that change the functioning of our cells. The genetic changes occur due to environmental exposures that damage DNA or a complex blend of genetics. The amount and the period of exposure to a carcinogen and the genetic history of an individual determines if the individual is at risk of developing cancer (Soto & Carlos, 2008)

Cancer and its associated treatments result in loss of essential economic resources and opportunity among families, society as well as the patients. The effects include financial loss, poor quality of life and death that are measured in the monetary value of the resources that are used to treat the patient. According to the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ), approximately the direct medical costs for cancer in the United States in 2015 were $80.2 Billion. When the economic resource is based on measuring the longitudinal starting from cancer diagnosis, the medical care and cost pattern differ often. Due to changes in population size and age, it is projected that cancer will cost the United States $147.6 Billion by 2020. Regardless of the method used to estimate the societal value of cancer, the mortality and treatment components of the disease are much higher compared to the cost of other diseases such as diabetes or influenza. From the productivity loss perspective, premature cancer-related deaths result in loss of resourceful and creative human labor that can positively impact the economy.

Why Certain Areas Have Denser Cancer Population

Some regions have denser cancer population compared to others depending on factors such as socioeconomic factors, culture, diet, and the environment. Environmental exposure to harmful cancer-causing agents is the main cause of the disparity in cancer population across the world. Environmental exposures that damage DNA constitution such as chemicals in tobacco smoke, harmful radiations including the ultraviolet rays. Individuals can evade some of the exposures including tobacco and sun rays while others cannot particularly, air, water, food and some materials that people handle in their places of work. Individuals that are often exposed to carcinogens are likely to be affected. However, exposure to carcinogens does not necessarily mean that the substance will automatically result in cancer. There are various factors that influence whether and an individual can develop cancer such as their genetic background. Carcinogens include aflatoxins, aristolochic acids, arsenic, asbestos, benzene and many others (Czene, Paul & Kari, 2002)

Cancer affects all population groups. However, certain population groups are denser compared to others. Members of a minority racial or ethnic groups can have an increased likelihood of being medically underserved or limited access to quality healthcare. The poor in society have minimal chances of receiving quality healthcare including early screening. Culture plays a significant role in behavioral risk factors of cancer that may include smoking habits, physical activity, alcohol, and poor breastfeeding culture.

Moreover, industrial development has a vital impact on the cancer population across various regions in the world. Cultural differences such as mistrust of the healthcare system and fear of being exposed to certain procedures can significantly contribute to the disparity in the cancer population. In various parts of the world, culture plays a significant role in attending clinical trials, which assist in effectively documenting cancer occurrences and effectively managing.

How Populations Are Affected

The entire human population can be affected by cancer, all race and ethnic groups, at any age, although about 9 out of 10 cancers are diagnosed in a population of over 50 years of age.

Air Pollution

The air around the urban area contains a lot of chemicals that increase the risk of lung cancer because of the incomplete burning of fossil fuels. Lung cancer is closely associated with sulfates as a key to air pollution than fine particles. Asbestos, diesel emissions, and polycyclic hydrocarbons contribute to increased lung cancer. Gas emissions from industries increase the risk of the people living near the industries with gas emissions. Indoor air pollution like tobacco smoke increases the risk of lung cancer. Many individuals in developed nations spend most of their time indoors. Activities such as cooking, smoking, fitting and furnishing are some of the indoors activities that cause indoor pollution. Research shows that two percent of people dying with cancer are not smokers. Smoking cigarettes and furnishing materials are the sources of formaldehyde which is a carcinogen that causes cancer. Tobacco smoke in the environment contains a harmful carcinogen. Foreign bodies such as asbestos occasionally cause tumors. The composition of the foreign body is not vital to consider than their shape or size since fibrous asbestos are riskier compared to the powder, porous or perforated (Danaei, 2005). Asbestos is a mineral fiber that is often inhaled and causes lung cancer. There are low levels of asbestos in the air, water, and soil. However, the levels do not present the risk of cancer. Accumulation of the substance through exposure regularly can result in tissue inflammation and scarring that rebuilt to complex health problems.

Individuals who work on certain jobs such as painting, construction or petroleum workers are at a higher risk of cancer. Several studies have shown that exposure to such jobs increases the chances of being exposed to asbestos, benzene, nickel, and arsenic which causes cancer (Stewart & Christopher, 2014). Substances such as aflatoxins are produced by specific fungi found in crops such as nuts and maize. Mainly, the fungi are found in humid regions of the world, and it contaminates crops at harvest or storage. Consumption of contaminated agricultural products or meat from animals that consumed aflatoxins increases the chances of getting liver cancer. By-products of the chlorination process contain arsenic that causes skin cancer when consumed at high doses. Chloroform is known to cause bladder and rectal cancers.

Benzene is a colorless liquid at room temperature often used as a solvent and a synthetic in various materials. Forest fires and volcanoes are the primary sources of benzene. Moreover, cigarette smoking is another source that significantly contributes to the US population's exposure to the chemical. Approximately 90% of benzene consumption is attributed to smoking. Other sources include paint, gasoline fumes, motor vehicles exhaust and industrial emissions. Often, benzene is associated with Leukemia and other blood-related disorders. Primarily, arsenic is released to the environment through mining and metal melting processes

Radiation

Physical carcinogen normally induce cancer in the form of ultraviolet radiation, or ionization radiation. Radiations are popularly known to cause DNA mutations. However, there are different forms of radiations that include electromagnetic such as gamma and x-rays. The possibility of contracting cancer primarily depends on the energy transfer value and the amount of exposure and well as the dose rate. Particle radiation is harmful since it is dense and has a high energy transfer rate. Research shows that exposing ourselves to all types of radiation like ultraviolet light and ionizing radiation can lead to cancer. Ionizing radiation causes up to four percent of all cancers because of the natural radiation from radon and cosmic rays, building materials, naturally radioactive elements in food, soil, and rocks. Ultraviolet light from the sun rays causes skin cancer because of frequent sunburns. Skin cancer often occurs in regions near the equator and other regions exposed to the sun. Electromagnetic field through mobile phones, radio, and cables from base stations used to transmit and receive signals can cause cancer. Radiations are harmful carcinogens because they can cause cancer in any part of the body.

Non-Environmental Causes of Cancer

Aging is an essential risk factor for cancer. Although cancer may occur at all ages, many cases occur in individuals over 55 years. This can be associated with the accumulating damage of the stem cells. Particular genetic mutations may cause stem cells to divide on a high rate and gets out of control that leads to cancer. Environmental factors including stress, alcohol consumption, smoking, and obesity can speed telomere activity. Family history plays a critical role in genetic mutations. Some of the genetic mutations that cause cancer are passed through genes from parents to children. Often Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a common type of hereditary cancer of the colon. They have an excess number of polyps in the colon. Therefore, children born from a parent with colon cancer history have higher chances of developing the disease. The risk of an individual developing cancer involves, an occurrence of tumor in the side of the family and cancer linked inherited syndromes.

The use of tobacco can be prevented. Hence lung cancer can be prevented. Approximately 180,000 Americans die of cancer as a result of smoking. 85% of lunch cancer cases are caused by smoking while secondary/passive smoking increases the risk of cancer by 5%. Smoker...