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What Causes Cancer? Dr. Vinod Gore

Cancer is a devastating disease that affects millions of people worldwide every year.

Despite significant progress in cancer research and treatment, it remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

But why does Cancer occur in the first place?

The answer is complex and involves a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.

In this blog, we will delve into the underlying causes of Cancer, exploring the latest research and statistics to shed light on this challenging disease.

Read further OR watch the video to explore the mysteries of Cancer, and learn more about what we can do to prevent and treat it.

In medical terms, Cancer is an uncontrolled, uncoordinated, purposeless proliferation of cells.

Let’s understand it in a bit more detail. The human body comprises millions of cells, each with a specific function.

On the contrary, the cancerous cells are purposeless, i.e. they do not have any role to play in the human body. Their only purpose is to divide and reproduce uncontrollably.

Moreover, they are uncoordinated, i.e. there is no control of a body over the number of cancerous cells produced. Cancerous cells reproduce constantly and create a tumour in the body. This tumour is called Cancer.

When we suggest people stop consuming tobacco and alcohol, a lot of them argue.

They give us examples of people who got Cancer without any addiction.

So let’s understand it in detail.

The human body has millions of cells. Each cell has a specific cell cycle, during which a cell is born, functions and dies.

Once the cell is dead, a new cell is born to replace it, which is a constant process.

But when the number of cells taking birth exceeds the number of cells dying, that condition is known as Cancer.

Moreover, our human body has a “Quality Control” system in our body, just any manufacturing industry!

It allows only a healthy cell to enter into the cell cycle. If it identifies an unhealthy cell, it eliminates that cell.

This ensures the normal functioning of the human body continues.

But sometimes, this Quality Control system stops working efficiently for any reason.

E.g.
It loses its ability to identify an unhealthy cell and lets it enter the cell cycle.

Due to this, many abnormal cells enter the cell cycle and form a tumour. This tumour is called Cancer.

Have queries or concern ?

But why does this Quality Control system fail? Let’s understand it.

There are 3 primary reasons that impact the efficiency of the human body’s quality control system. They are:

• Age:

Once we age, this system’s efficacy decreases, just like any other body part. Due to this reason, sometimes even an abnormal or unhealthy cell enters the cell cycle.

Once such cells enter our body, it results in Cancer.
That’s why many individuals are diagnosed with Cancer at a later stage of their life.

In short, age is a very important causative factor that can lead to Cancer.

• Immunity:
  

The Immunity system is like a guardian angel of our body.

It kills any unwanted or abnormal entities entering our body, like cancer cells. But when the immunity weakens, cancerous cells easily enter our cell cycle and start to replicate.

Various health conditions like HIV lead to weakened immunity, resulting in Cancer.

So it’s normally observed that individuals with weak immunity have a higher rate of Cancer.

• Genetic:

This is also a critical reason that leads to poor immunity. Some individuals and their family members have a genetic defect.

The defects include Quality Control’s inability to distinguish between normal and abnormal cells. So such individuals are at a higher risk of getting Cancer.

Some primary forms of genetic cancers include Breast Cancer and Colon Cancer.

If a mother has any of these cancers, there is a strong probability that her child will have them.

These are the primary reasons that might cause Cancer in any individual.

Apart from these, there are a few other causes that might lead to Cancer in any individual. The list includes:

• Excessive abnormal cells:
  

Even if your Quality  Control system is working all right, it’s possible that some abnormal cells might bypass it.

This occurs especially when the number of abnormal cells is very high. But what causes the rise in abnormal cells?

Here comes tobacco or certain relevant chemicals.

When an individual consumes such items over a longer period, abnormal cells will enter the new cell cycle at some stage. Just one cell can replicate and cause Cancer.

So individuals who have some form of addiction, working in a chemical factory, working in a polluted area or eating food with excessive fertilizer are at a higher risk of getting Cancer.

• Infection:

Certain cancers like Cervical Cancer can occur due to Human Papilloma Virus. This virus produces a large number of abnormal cells.

These cells enter the cell cycle and can ultimately result in Cancer.

Similarly, infection with the Hepatitis B virus can result in Liver Cancer.

• Repeated trauma

Certain cancers, like the Cancer of the mouth, occur due to repeated trauma.

This occurs when a certain region of the mouth is exposed to repeated injury due to misaligned teeth or stuck food.

Such prolonged and repeated trauma can cause infection and lead to Cancer due to the rise in abnormal cells.

• Hormonal Changes:

Endometrial and Breast Cancer can occur due to hormonal changes in the human body.

• Air pollution and Smoking:

Both of these are the main culprits responsible for Lung Cancer.

There are numerous reasons and factors that might lead to Cancer in any individual.

Chemical exposure due to addiction, working conditions, genetic defects, injury, hormonal changes and pollution might cause Cancer.

From the above-mentioned factors, some can be prevented, resulting in protection from some form of Cancer.

Similarly, factors like age and genetics are not preventable. But when you care for yourself and focus on preventive factors, you can protect yourself and your family from the trauma.

Our humble request is simple, stay away from unhealthy lifestyles and addictions. This can significantly reduce your exposure to certain cancers.

In case you need any more information or assistance related to Cancer, you can always reach out to our experts. We are here 24×7 to assist you.

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