What You Need to Know About Cancer

Cancer has long been a mystery to many of us. We often wonder why some people are inflicted with this potentially fatal range of diseases, while others are seemingly untouched by cancer throughout their lifetime. The one truth we can all believe in is that there are a wide variety of risk factors that contribute to the manifestation of malignant tumors, and therefore cancer.

According to MedicineNet.com, the most common risk factors for cancer are aging, tobacco, sunlight, ionizing radiation, certain chemicals, viruses, bacteria, hormones, a family history (genetic mutations), alcohol, and poor physical health (poor diet, lack of exercise, obesity, etc.).

Obviously, many of these can be avoided. For example, not smoking tobacco or being nearby people who do smoke tobacco eliminates that risk factor. And likewise for alcohol and ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Since many of the risk factors can be avoided, we owe it to ourselves to take care of our bodies and stay away from carcinogens.

Most cancers occur in senior citizens, as we become more sensitive with aging, though no one is safe from cancer.

My grandpa on my mom's side of the family had to have a tumor removed from his nose, which was caused by constant exposure to the blazing sunlight.

Then there are many potential cancer-causing agents that haven't been verified today. For example, there hasn't been substantial evidence so far linking cell phone use to cancer.

And of course, different kinds of cancers have different risk factors. According to American Cancer Society, smoking alone causes one-third of a cancer deaths. So losing the cigarette can do wonders for your health.

As another example, breast cancer risk factors include aging, changes in hormone levels, obesity, and physical activity. And we can't forget about the genetic factor: women who have moms and sisters with cancer are more likely to develop the cancer themselves. There's even been studies linking alcohol consumption to breast cancer, which i found surprising. Further reason to moderate your consumption of alcohol. Multiple risks are often factored together.

Race has been identified as a factor as well. Prostate cancer is more common in African-American men than in white men for yet unknown reasons. On the other hand, testicular cancer is most common among white males and uncommon amongst males of African or Asian backgrounds.

Environmental factors, not surprisingly, cause an estimated three-quarters of all cancer cases in the United States. Again, this means these agents can often be avoided by how we deal with our surroundings. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercising, while steering clear of as many carcinogens as possible means you're doing you're best to live a cancer-free life.