Things like maybe eating leftovers warmed up in plastic or teflon pans or eating alot of junk food...? We know that some things like insulation, etc, cause it, but what about people who are not around things like that ?
2007-01-12 16:14:04 · 11 answers · asked by scaredeycat 3 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
Normal cells are a little like well balanced machines. They have to grow, and replicate themselves, but they are designed to not replicate too fast.
Cells are damaged all the time. That's OK because we have lots of cells and as they replicate themselves, they replace the damage and destroyed cells.
A cell becomes cancerous when it is damaged and starts replicating itself as fast as possible - far faster than it should.
So, anything that damages cells over and over increases your chances of cancer. One day of sun doesn't add much risk, but every day for 20 years is significant.
Asbestos (used in old insulations and flame resistant building materials - before the danger was understood) is very dangerous because it gets stuck in the body, damaging cells for a very long time.
Even people that avoid all risks (sun, asbestos, etc.) can't avoid the fact that basic real life damages cells. So, you can reduce your risk of cancer, but never to zero.
2007-01-12 16:30:22 · answer #1 · answered by Bryan J 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In a study of cancer myths, 40 percent of people agreed that city air pollution was a bigger risk for lung cancer than was smoking. Pollution certainly may contribute to some cases of lung cancer, but not anywhere near the number caused by smoking. Yet the idea that chemicals in the environment are a major cause of cancer persists.
Researchers estimate that cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) in the environment cause fewer than 5 percent of cancer deaths in the United States. Most cancers are believed to be caused by lifestyle choices, such as what you eat, whether you maintain a healthy weight and whether you smoke. So why do some people still believe their environment is a major cause of cancer? Here's an in-depth look at the issue.
2007-01-13 00:34:43 · answer #2 · answered by crowfeathers 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No we are not "born with cancer cells" but unfortunately every cell in our body has the capacity to become cancerous.
Things that increase the chance of a normal cell turning cancerous are:
SMOKING
Genetics
Other cancer causing agents such as high levels of radiaiton exposure (I'm talking about chernobyl stuff here, not stupid cell phone conspiracy) and asbestos.
By far the single most preventable cause of death in the US is still SMOKING and lung cancer.
2007-01-13 23:32:09 · answer #3 · answered by dan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I don't think do something 'wrong' necessarily. Leukemia for example. I've met plenty of children and teenagers with cancer, and as far as I could tell none of them smoked or anything like that. I had osteosarcoma, which is a bone tumor, and it is thought that it occurs after a growth spurt. Cancer is just the cells in your body going a bit crazy and doing something abnormal. Anyway, I'd prefer to think I couldn't have prevented it
2007-01-14 19:29:39 · answer #4 · answered by susie_mac 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All cells have the potential to become cancerous cells. Why some do and some don't, is really a mystery.
Some people can be raised in the exact same conditions and one will get cancer and the rest will not.
The human body is still a mystery.
2007-01-13 00:23:14 · answer #5 · answered by starting over 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some people are predisposed due to genetics. others will get cancer as a result of enviornment. we do know what cause some forms of cancer, such as cervical cancer. we can often figure out what caused other cancers after the fact. such as lung cancer in many cases. In the end there is no way to tell if you will or will not get cancer in your lifetime. we do know that some cancers, such as skin cancer, are normal to find in elderly people. this is a product of weakening immune systems and also the esposure to the world around them for so long. sun and earth radiation will catch up with some of us one day.
2007-01-13 00:31:30 · answer #6 · answered by nyxcat1999 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes you are born with cancer cells in you body no one know es why they mutate and kill there host 300000 men get prostate cancer each year, is it just Americans that get this or is it all over the world? I have moved to the oil patch for work all now i have a constant cough from the burning of gas at night! I don't think that if you reheat food in plastic or in a microwave you get stomach cancer?
2007-01-13 01:11:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Its been reported that a 'virus' can cause cancer....I believe we all have the cells for cancer in us ; just that in some it comes to the fore.
2007-01-16 20:49:33 · answer #8 · answered by missellie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
personally I think its just something you are either going to get or not going to get. Seems like it tends to run in families. Just my opinion, I'm not a doctor and have been wrong before.
2007-01-13 00:19:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
A simple search on yahoo or google under oncogenes; pro-oncogenes and carcinogenes would answer a lot of this question. :-)
2007-01-13 01:09:04 · answer #10 · answered by NautyRN 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋