Cancer: An Unresolved Pandemic

Few medical diagnoses are as worrisome as cancer. In 2008, there were 565,650 cancer-related deaths in the United States, and because cancer is incurable, treatment and prevention are the only ways to combat cancerous diseases. However, new scientific discoveries and preventative techniques are propelling us forward in the fight against cancer.

The Science of Cancer

Cancer is a peculiar disease in that it is our own cells that bring the harm to our body. Cancer occurs when genes in healthy cells are damaged, which can negatively alter the cell. The process of the creation of cancerous cells, called carcinogenesis, occurs in three stages. The first stage is “initiation”, in which there is a mistake in the DNA sequence, which results in a genetic error in new cells. These mutations can be caused by carcinogens such as tobacco, radiation, or viruses. If the genes that normally repair mistakes are affected in themselves, the cell cannot repair itself. The second stage is called “promotion”. A single of mutations in a cell can lead to new mutations, which often causes these abnormal cells to multiply uncontrollably and avoid death. The cells pass on their mistakes to new cells, and the cancer spreads. The third stage is “promotion”. In promotion, cancer cells can develop into a tumor attached to healthy tissues. A tumor has a life of its own, with its own network of blood vessels and metabolic processes. Cells can often break off one tumor and start their own new tumor in another location on the body. These tumors often acquire new resistances, which can make them tremendously difficult to treat. Because of a simple mistake in a gene sequence, the result could wreck havoc all over the body.

Causes and Types of Cancer

There are many different causes of various types of cancer, many of which are quite controversial. One of the strongest cancer-causing agents is tobacco. Smoking tobacco continuously deposits carcinogenic chemicals into the lungs. DNA is damaged, and the lungs become inflamed, which promotes the growth of tumors. Another cancer causer is all types of radiation. Radiation, which can be emitted by nuclear testing and medical procedures, ionizes a cell’s DNA, which can make it undergo various mutations, which can result in cancerous cells. One recent and controversial study has linked the use of cell phones to cancer in the brain and sensory nerves. Another link to cancer has been obesity. In 2001, scientists associated cancers in the colon, kidneys, esophagus, and gallbladder, and pancreas with a sedentary lifestyle and a diet high in calories and fat, which is a contributing factor to obesity. In 2002, it was estimated that 41,000 cases of cancer were due to obesity, and a recent report states that 20% of cancer deaths in men are due to being overweight. Many factors, such as tobacco, radiation, and obesity, have been linked to onslaughts of cancer.