Cancer is when abnormal cells divide in an uncontrolled way. Cancer starts when gene changes make one cell or a few cells begin to grow and multiply too much. This may cause a growth called a tumor. A primary tumor is the name for where a cancer starts. Cancer can sometimes spread to other parts of the body – this is called a secondary tumor or a metastasis.

Cancer Risk Factors

1. Chemicals

Exposure to particular substances has been linked to specific types of cancer. These substances are called carcinogens. Tobacco smoke, for example, causes 90% of lung cancer. It also causes cancer in the larynx, head, neck, stomach, bladder, kidney, esophagus and pancreas. Tobacco smoke contains over fifty known carcinogens, including nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma can come from inhaling tobacco smoke or asbestos fibers, or leukemia from exposure to benzene.

2. Diet and exercise

Diet, physical inactivity and obesity are related to up to 30–35% of cancer deaths. Excess body weight is associated with the development of many types of cancer and is a factor in 14–20% of cancer deaths. Physical inactivity is believed to contribute to cancer risk, not only through its effect on body weight but also through negative effects on the immune system and endocrine system.

3. Infection

Worldwide approximately 18% of cancer deaths are related to infectious diseases. This proportion ranges from a high of 25% in Africa to less than 10% in the developed world. Viruses are the usual infectious agents that cause cancer but cancer bacteria and parasites may also play a role.

4. Radiation

Radiation exposure such as ultraviolet radiation and radioactive material is a risk factor for cancer. Many non-melanoma skin cancers are due to ultraviolet radiation, mostly from sunlight. Sources of ionizing radiation include medical imaging and radon gas. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun can lead to melanoma and other skin malignancies. Clear evidence establishes ultraviolet radiation, especially the non-ionizing medium wave UVB, as the cause of most non-melanoma skin cancers, which are the most common forms of cancer in the world.

5. Heredity

The vast majority of cancers are non-hereditary (sporadic). Hereditary cancers are primarily caused by an inherited genetic defect. Less than 0.3% of the population are carriers of a genetic mutation that has a large effect on cancer risk and these cause less than 3–10% of cancer. Taller people have an increased risk of cancer because they have more cells than shorter people. Since height is genetically determined to a large extent, taller people have a heritable increase of cancer risk.

6. Physical agents

Some substances cause cancer primarily through their physical, rather than chemical, effects. Chronic inflammation has been hypothesized to directly cause mutation. Inflammation can contribute to proliferation, survival, angiogenesis and migration of cancer cells by influencing the tumor microenvironment. Oncogenes build up an inflammatory pro-tumorigenic microenvironment.

7. Hormones

Hormones are important agents in sex-related cancers, such as cancer of the breast, endometrium, prostate, ovary and testis and also of thyroid cancer and bone cancer. For example, the daughters of women who have breast cancer have significantly higher levels of estrogen and progesterone than the daughters of women without breast cancer. Other factors are relevant: obese people have higher levels of some hormones associated with cancer and a higher rate of those cancers.

8. Autoimmune diseases

There is an association between celiac disease and an increased risk of all cancers. People with untreated celiac disease have a higher risk, but this risk decreases with time after diagnosis and strict treatment, probably due to the adoption of a gluten-free diet, which seems to have a protective role against development of malignancy in people with celiac disease.

9. Alcoholism

The carcinogen isn’t alcohol itself. The culprit is actually the toxic breakdown product of alcohol called acetaldehyde, which can form in your mouth almost immediately after you take a sip. Experiments show that even holding a single teaspoon of hard liquor in your mouth for five seconds before spitting it out results in the production of potentially carcinogenic levels of acetaldehyde that lingers for more than ten minutes.

Additional risk factors for women...

• First menstrual period before the age of 12.

• First child born after age 30.

• Childless and over age 50.

• Post menopausal and on hormone-replacement therapy.

Combating Cancer through Lifestyle

Lifestyle decisions are much more important in determining who gets cancer and who does not. It’s the world’s leading cause of death, but about 1 in 3 cases can be prevented, according to the World Health Organization.

Even if your genes place you at risk for cancer, 60% to 70% of all malignancies can be avoided by paying attention to these lifestyle factors:

1. Diet – Eating a plant-based diet is the single most important thing you can do to lower your cancer risk. Foods should be minimally processed and as close to their natural state as possible. Processed foods may have lost some of their nutritional value e.g. eat a plantain rather than plantain chips. Also limit intake of foods with added sugar, such as soft drinks and sweetened cereals. If you eat red meat, have no more than three ounces per day. Eating at least five servings—about one-half cup each—of fruits or vegetables every day can decrease your risk of cancer by 20%.

2. Weight control –Try not to gain too much weight after reaching your full height (at about age 18 for women... 24 for men).

3. Physical activity – Start by walking every day—working your way up to a brisk, one-hour walk daily. In addition, work up a sweat by engaging in some form of vigorous physical activity for at least one hour each week.

4. Not smoking and not drinking – Do not smoke. If you do drink, limit your consumption to one drink a day for women... two drinks a day for men. Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.

5. Wear Sunscreen - Harmful rays from the sun can give you more than sunburn. Ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer. And people who spend a lot of time in the sun have a higher risk. Most cases are curable if they’re found and treated early, but they can be life-threatening if they spread to other parts of your body. Sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher can help protect you.

6. Eat More Vegetables - Vegetables and fruits can help stave off a range of cancers in your mouth, throat, windpipe, and esophagus. These foods have things that help your cells prevent damage that may lead to cancer later. You should get at least 2 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables a day.

7. Don’t Count on Supplements - A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is a better bet than nutritional supplements to lower your risk of cancer. Supplements don’t give you the same benefits as whole foods, and they can throw off the balance of other nutrients in your body. Supplements may help with certain conditions, but don’t bet on them to prevent cancer.

8. Cut Down on Sugar - Foods or drinks with a lot of sugar tend to have more calories per ounce. If you have them often, you’re more likely to take in more calories than you burn in a day. That can make you gain weight -- and possibly increase your risk of cancer. You don’t have to skip the sugar entirely, but keep an eye out for things with added sweeteners.

9. Get off the Couch - People who exercise are less likely to get cancer of the colon, breast, or uterus. When you’re up and moving around, your body uses more energy, digests food faster, and prevents a buildup of some hormones that are linked to cancer. Being active also can help head off other health problems like heart disease or diabetes. 

10. Get a Hepatitis B Shot - People who have the hepatitis B virus are 100 times more likely to get liver cancer, one of the fastest-growing kinds. And those who have chronic liver problems, several sex partners, or share needles to use drugs have a high risk of getting hepatitis B, along with people who work with human blood. But a vaccine can prevent infection. Talk with your doctor about it if you think you’re at risk. 

11. Get Screened - The sooner the warning signs of cancer are spotted, the better your odds of recovery. A variety of tests can check for different types, like breast, colon, prostate, or skin. Ask your doctor which of these screenings you should get, and when.

Some Common Types of Cancers

Colorectal Cancer

The average person has about a one-in-twenty chance of developing colorectal cancer over the course of his or her lifetime. Fortunately, it is among the most treatable cancers, as regular screening has enabled doctors to detect and remove the cancer before it spreads. But, in its early stages, colorectal cancer rarely causes symptoms. If the cancer is not caught until later stages, treatment is more difficult and less effective. Starting at age fifty until age seventy-five, you should either get stool testing every year, stool testing every three years plus a sigmoidoscopy every five years, or a colonoscopy every ten years. While regular screenings are certainly sensible to detect colorectal cancer, preventing it in the first place is even better.

Tumors in the colon—and rectum—usually begin as tiny mushroom-shaped growths. Most of these polyps are harmless, but a small percentage turns cancerous. The progression from benign polyp to cancerous tumor takes at least five years. That's ample time for detecting and removing any polyps before they threaten your health. If cancer cells are detected in the colon, removal of the polyps is curative in 92% of all cases. Unfortunately, most people do not undergo the periodic screenings necessary to check the colon for growths.

• Have periodic colonoscopies. Colonoscopy is an outpatient procedure in which a long, flexible viewing tube inserted through the rectum is used to examine the entire length of the large intestine. If polyps or tumors are detected, they often can be removed on the spot-the colonoscopy doubles as a cutting tool.

• Consume at least 25g of dietary fiber a day. Fiber binds to special digestive juices known as bile acids in the intestine and carries them out of the body in the stool. It is more effective to have at least five servings a day of fruits, vegetables, beans, peas and whole grains e.g. Yellow, orange and dark-green vegetables such as spinach (tete), oha and ugu leaves, whole grains such as wheat, oats and millet and fruits rich in Vitamins A and C. Peppers, beans, broccoli and cauliflower are rich in vitamin E, folic acid and selenium. Colon cancer occurs much less often in parts of the world where people eat lots of plant-based foods. Fiber is found only in plant foods.

• Eat less fat. Reducing fat consumption to 20% of total calories is ideal. If that level is unrealistic for you, keep your fat intake under 30% of total calories. That means roughly 45g of fat a day. Cutting back on or eliminating red meat, fried oily snacks and foods—and switching to non-fat dairy foods— is often enough to lower fat to the right level.

• Don't eat charred meats. When animal fat is exposed to barbecuing with charcoal or to a direct flame in the broiler, carcinogens like those in tobacco are created.

• Eat uncontaminated fish frequently Get 1,000 to 1,500mg of calcium a day. Three servings of low-fat milk or other dairy foods supply about 1,000mg. Calcium fights colon cancer by preventing rapid growth of cells in the colon.

Indeed, those who ate red meat at least once each week had about double the risk of developing colon cancer; that risk appeared to triple, however, for those who ate chicken or fish once or more a week.

Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is among the most lethal forms of cancer, with just 6 percent of patients surviving five years after diagnosis. As many as 20 percent of pancreatic cancer cases may be a result of tobacco smoking. Other modifiable risk factors include obesity and heavy alcohol consumption. As we’ll see, specific dietary factors may also play a significant role in the development of this deadly disease.

For instance, how the fat in one’s diet may contribute to pancreatic cancer risk has long been a subject of debate. The inconsistency of research findings on the impact of total fat intake may be partly because different fats affect risk differently. The consumption of fat from all animal sources is significantly associated with pancreatic cancer risk, but no correlation is found with the consumption of plant fats.

There has been long-standing concern about the possibility that wart-causing chicken cancer viruses are being transmitted to the general population through the handling of fresh or frozen chicken. These viruses are known to cause cancer in the birds, but their role in human cancers is unknown. Researchers found a 72 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer for every fifty grams of chicken consumed daily. And that’s not much meat, under two ounces—just about a quarter of a chicken breast.

Pancreatic cancer is among the most aggressive forms of cancer. Untreated, most patients die two to four months after diagnosis. Unfortunately, only about 10 percent of patients appear to respond to chemotherapy, with the majority suffering severe side effects. Curcumin, the colorful component of the spice turmeric, appears able to reverse precancerous changes in colon cancer and has been shown in laboratory studies to be effective against lung cancer cells. Similar results were obtained using pancreatic cancer cells.

Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer occurs when cancer cells develop in the esophagus, the muscular tube carrying food from your mouth to your stomach. Typically, the cancer arises in the lining of the esophagus and then invades the outer layers before metastasizing (spreading) to other organs. Early on, there may be few symptoms—if any at all. But as the cancer grows, swallowing difficulties can develop. Every year, there are about eighteen thousand new cases of esophageal cancer and fifteen thousand deaths. The primary risk factors include smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD, also called acid reflux), in which acid from the stomach gurgles up into the esophagus, burning the inner layer and causing inflammation that can eventually lead to cancer. Besides avoiding tobacco and alcohol (even light drinking appears to increase risk), the most important thing you can do to prevent esophageal cancer is to eliminate acid reflux disease—and that can often be accomplished through diet.

Red meat is strongly associated with cancer in the esophagus itself, whereas poultry was more strongly associated with cancer down around the stomach-esophagus border. How does this happen? Within five minutes of eating fat, your sphincter muscle at the top of your stomach—which acts like a valve to keep down food inside the stomach—relaxes, allowing acids to creep back up into the esophagus.

The protection afforded by plant-based eating may not be based just on the foods that are reduced, though. Centering your diet on antioxidant-rich plant foods may cut in half your odds of esophageal cancer. The most protective foods for cancer at the esophagus-stomach border appear to be red, orange, and dark-green leafy vegetables, berries, apples, and citrus fruits, but all unprocessed plant foods have the advantage of containing fiber.

Prostate Cancer: What Every Man Must Know

For such a small gland, the prostate causes big trouble. The disease kills almost as many men as breast cancer kills women. Little is known about what causes prostate cancer, although men who eat a high-fat diet seem to be at greatest risk. Caught in its early stages, prostate cancer can usually be cured with surgery or radiation, and possibly helped by drug therapy. Key, of course, is catching the tumor before it spreads.

Once a year, starting at age 50 men should undergo:

• Digital rectal examination (DRE). They insert a finger into the rectum to feel the prostate gland for nodules or firmness suggestive of cancer.

• Prostate-specific antigen test. This measures blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein secreted by the prostate. Elevated PSA levels suggest the need for further evaluation.

It’s important to realize that PSA levels increase with age. A level that's normal for a man of 80, for instance, may suggest prostate cancer in a man of 45. Start screenings at age 40 if your father or brother had prostate cancer. Risk is significantly higher among these men.

Breast Cancer

• Aging: On average, women over 60 are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Only about 10 –15 percent of breast cancers occur in women younger than 45. However, this may vary for different races or ethnicities.

• Gender: Although nearly 2,000 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year, breast cancer is 100 times more common in women.

• Family history: Having a family history of breast cancer, particularly women with a mother, sister or daughter who has or had breast cancer, may double the risk.

• Inherited factors: Some inherited genetic mutations may increase your breast cancer risks. Gene testing reveals the presence of potential genetic problems, particularly in families that have a history of breast cancer.

• Obesity: After menopause, fat tissue may contribute to increases in estrogen levels, and high levels of estrogen may increase the risk of breast cancer. Weight gain during adulthood and excess body fat around the waist may also play a role.

• Not having children: Women who have had no children, or who were pregnant later in life (over age 35) may have a greater chance of developing breast cancer. Breast-feeding may help to lower your breast cancer risks.

• High breast density: Women with less fatty tissue and more glandular and fibrous tissue may be at higher risk for developing breast cancer than women with less dense breasts.

• Certain breast changes: Certain benign (noncancerous) breast conditions may increase breast cancer risk.

• Menstrual history: Women who start menstruation at an early age (before age 12) and/or menopause at an older age (after age 55) have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. The increase in risk may be due to a longer lifetime exposure to the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

• A Sedentary lifestyle: Physical activity in the form of regular exercise for four to seven hours a week may help to reduce breast cancer risk.

• Heavy drinking: The use of alcohol is linked to an increased risk of developing breast cancer. The risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed.

• Birth control pills: Using oral contraceptives within the past 10 years may slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer. The risk decreases over time once the pills are stopped.

• Combined post-menopausal hormone therapy (PHT): Using combined hormone therapy after menopause increases the risk of developing breast cancer. Combined HT also increases the likelihood that the cancer may be found at a more advanced stage.

• Diethylstilbestrol exposure (DES): Previous use of DES, a drug commonly given to pregnant women from 1940 to 1971 to prevent miscarriage, may slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Women whose mothers took DES during pregnancy may also have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.

• Radiation exposure: Women who, as children or young adults, had radiation therapy to the chest area as treatment for another cancer have a significantly increased risk for breast cancer.

Forty percent of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular breast self-exam is very important. ͟While mammograms can help you to detect cancer before you can feel a lump, breast self-exams helps you to be familiar with how your breasts looks and feels so you can alert your health care professional if there are any changes.

Though mammograms can often show a breast lump before it can be felt, a change in lifestyle will help reduce your risks of breast cancer.

Cancer 'Remedies' That Don't Work

While some alternative therapies can help, many don't work. Research shows that up to 30% of people with cancer have tried a so-called "cure" that doesn't have any benefits. They can be a waste of time and money. Even worse, some of these "remedies" are dangerous to your health and may affect how well other cancer treatments work.

1. Alkaline Diets

This is based on lab studies that show cancer cells can't survive in a low-acid, or alkaline, environment. The theory is that eating certain foods and staying away from others will lower your body's acid level and keep cancer cells from growing. But what you eat doesn't affect how acidic your blood is. Your body controls that balance.

2. Cannabis Oil

Made from marijuana plants, this is also called hemp or marijuana oil. Some think it can kill or shrink cancerous tumors, but no science backs that up. And while cannabis may ease the side effects of some cancer treatments, like nausea and loss of appetite, talk to your doctor before you try it. Some compounds in cannabis may affect how certain cancer drugs work. They also cause side effects like memory and attention loss.

3. Cesium Chloride

This is a type of salt sold as an alternative cancer treatment. The theory is that it keeps cancer cells from spreading. Researchers have found no proof of that -- a small study showed that cesium chloride didn't help people with cancer. And side effects can include diarrhea, nausea, and an irregular heartbeat. In some cases, it can lead to serious, possibly life-threatening, heart problems.

4. Herbal Remedies

No herbal products have been shown to treat or prevent cancer -- but they may keep chemotherapy and radiation therapy from working as well as they should. Research does suggest that some herbs can help ease side effects, though. For example, ginger may ease vomiting and nausea.

5. Black Salve

This is a paste, cream, or ointment made with zinc chloride and herbs, such as a plant called bloodroot. Some say the salve targets cancerous tissue in your skin, but that's not true. Black salve damages any skin that it touches. It can destroy the top layer but leave the cancer underneath. And it can cause side effects like infection and scarring.

6. Megadoses of Vitamin C

The idea that very high doses of vitamin C can treat cancer started in the 1970s. It was based on research that suggested the nutrient is toxic to cancer cells. But studies show that taking megadoses of vitamin C by mouth doesn't do anything for people with cancer. And it can affect how certain chemotherapy drugs work.

7. Amygdalin (Laetrile)

This is an extract made from apricot pits and other plants. It's also known as Laetrile and vitamin B-17. Your body breaks down amygdalin into a toxic chemical called cyanide. Some people say this poison targets and kills cancer cells, but studies show it doesn't fight cancer and can lead to cyanide poisoning. Side effects include headaches, dizziness, and possibly life-threatening low blood pressure.

8. Essential Oils

These are extracts made from plants, such as lavender and tea tree. You typically put them on your skin or breathe their scent. Fans of these oils say they have properties that can fight cancer, but science says that's not the case. They may help ease some side effects of cancer treatments, though, including anxiety, nausea, and depression.

9. Positive Thinking

Research shows there's no link between personality traits and your chances of getting or surviving cancer. What a positive attitude can do is improve your quality of life during diagnosis and treatment. It can also help you better live with and manage the disease.

10. Applied Kinesiology

This is based on the idea that your muscles are linked to certain organs, and muscle weakness is a sign of a health issue in those areas. Also called muscle strength testing, some use it to diagnose illnesses, including cancer, and make treatment decisions. But no science supports it, and research shows it doesn't work.

11. Enemas

With this, a liquid, such as water or coffee, is flushed through your colon. It's thought to detox your colon and intestines. Supporters think that if you rid those organs of toxins, your body is better able to fight cancer cells. But there's no proof that enemas can treat cancer or boost your health. And doing this often may lead to infection, dehydration, or a tear in your rectum. It may also affect the balance of electrolytes in your blood.

12. Gerson Therapy

A doctor created this program in the 1940s as a treatment for migraines. Now some people use it for cancer. It involves a strict regimen of drinking 13 glasses of organic juice each day and eating vegetarian meals prepared without salt, spices, or oils. You also take a number of supplements and get regular enemas. Not only is this program not helpful for cancer, but experts warn that it can be harmful because you could miss out on important nutrients.

13. Ozone Therapy

Ozone is a toxic form of oxygen. The basis for ozone therapy is the idea that extra oxygen makes it hard for tumors to grow. But ozone doesn't have any medical use, including treating cancer. And it can lead to serious side effects, like vein inflammation, chest pain, and heart issues.

Talk to Your Doctor

If you're interested in trying an untraditional remedy, talk with your doctor first. He/She can help you understand if it might help and make sure it won't lead to dangerous side effects. And it's important to keep the lines of communication open with your doctor. One study found that people with cancer who used alternative remedies were more likely to refuse the treatment their doctor recommended.