So, how exactly do you get cancer?

Question

I heard its uncontagious, so how do you get it? Is there a way to prevent it? And what are the chances of survival if you get it? ( I know it depends, but I mean, try and get a good estimate?)

Would someone survive cancer or AIDS longer? like, which is the worst disease?

And finally, is there a cure for any of the 2 diseases?

Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

Cancer is caused by mutant cells. Some cells, of the human body, replicate often. Those are the ones that cause the most cancers (mucus membranes like the colon, mouth, and throat, or the lungs and lymphatic system. When cell mutations occur the the body usually launches defenses against this. It attacks and kill any mutations as though they were foreigner bodies. Sometimes, for whatever reason, the mutated cells get a chance to replicate. That's how tumor growth happens. There is evidence that certain types of cancers can be hereditary, but there are many cases of people who are otherwise healthy, have no family history, and still get some form of cancer.

The chances of survival depend a lot on the form of cancer, and how soon it is diagnosed and treated. Many cancers have excellent cure rates, when found early.

AIDS, to date, is incurable. There are medications that help to boost the immune system. Many need to be taken daily, for the rest of the person's life. The immune system of a person with AIDS is compromised. That means that they are susceptible to many more illnesses than most people. It also mean illnesses take a harder toll on them. There are people who've lived relatively healthy existences with AIDS. Magic Johnson (who played for the LA Lakers) was announced that he was infected with the HIV virus back in Nov. of 1991. That's over 15 years. Of course, he was also hospitalized back in 2003 with deathly complications related to HIV. We should also remember that most people don't have the kind of health care available.

AIDS wins as the worse of the two. You cannot catch cancer from someone else. AIDS on the other hand is VERY communicable.

Answer 2

Your question is kindof broad, but I'll try -
Cancer is caused by a cell or cells that reproduce too rapidly and they aren't formed correctly. This has to do with the instructions for each cell in it's mitochondria. It may be caused by chemical exposure that disrupts a cells "instructions", or maybe one cell just got made wrong-It is nature, and mistakes are sometimes not caught. Cancer can be caused by a virus, which attaches itself to a host cell, and "reprograms" it to reproduce incorrectly.
The chances of survival vary widely- If you have a skin cancer and catch it early, no problem. If you have a skin cancer and don't then it depends on where it spreads to. There is really know way of knowing. Also, general health is a factor, as well as diet, habits, etc. Some cancers can be cured, some can't.
AIDS can't be cured, but it can be controlled with a cocktail of drugs that inihibit the effects that it has on the body. I don't think that there will be a cure for AIDS in the near future, but a vaccine is probably not too far away.

Answer 3

Cancer forms when cells no longer grow in a uniform manner; instead of forming the normal tissue, a mass forms.
Heredity may play a role in various types of cancer. There are many things that can be done to help prevent cancer, i.e. not smoking, good eating habits; healthy living habits.
Some types of cancer, if caught in the early stages, can be treated successfully. Screening tools include mammograms, colonoscopies, etc.
Which has a better survival rate, cancer or AIDS? If there is early diagnosis, I think the survival rate is much higher with cancer.
Cures: With early detection, many forms of cancers can be treated with success. People with AIDS usually die of a super imposed infection due to the low immune system which accompanies AIDS.

Answer 4

A question that is periodically asked on this Q&A. I will cut and paste my previous answer. Cancer kills by complications it causes. This is usually due to the constant and accelerating growth which overwhelms the bodies ability to cope. The reasoning is, if cancer existed in the body but stopped growing, the body could still survive. The body can tolerate a tumor pushing against a organ so much. In brain cancer, the brain has little addition room. Brain tumors often cause seizures and vomiting due to increased intercranial pressure. Eventually the pressure will cause malfunction is the brain. Blockages can occur. This can lower appetite (leading to slow wasting as in pancreatic cancer). Examples cancers of the abdomen and esphogeus. Cancer cells often produce enyzmes which in small quantities can be tolerated. Fluid accumulation in the lungs, bone destroying enyzmes, etc. These can cause potentially fatal chemical imbalances that can lead to a heart attack, liver and/or kidney failure. Examples, cancers of the lung, bone and, leukemias. In addition, cancer cells use the bodies energy and produce waste (blood) like any other cell. In short, cancer profileration overwhelms the body and that's what really kills.

Answer 5

Cancer is NOT contagious. No one knows exactly why you get it but there appear to be certain factors. Like adding poisons to your body (tobacco, alcohol, chemicals etc), weakening your body or certain organs, free-radicals. Cancer is generally survivable but it often takes a long time and is not pleasant. AIDs is also survivable. There isn't a lot of talk about it but people are not facing certain death with AIDs or cancer as people used to think. There is no worst disease because it depends on the person, their age, general health, state of mind and how well they take care of themselves. Get plenty of laughter. Doctors now believe it actually keeps you healthy!

Answer 6

There are many ways to get it: sun exposior, smoking, drinking which affects the liver, eatting too much fatty foods and dairy products, radiation, inhaling chemicals, not enough fiber or anti-oxidents, you can look in emedicine.com and look for the cancer topic. Chances of survival depends on the progress of the cancer. If it's advanced, the chances of survival are low. If it's early you can stop it with chemotherepy or radiation. It's hard to tell which disease you live longer with cause it varies from one person to another, but I think they're both equally just as bad to get. No there is no cure for aids or cancer, but there are medications and therapy to ease them.

Answer 7

There are many kinds of cancer; most have no particular known cause, but there are some that do: skin cancer can arise from overexposure to ultraviolet, and lung, throat, esophageal, and mouth cancers can arise from use of tobacco. Most cancers are curable if found in time; the cancerous material is excised, and chemotherapy or radiation treatment may be used to blast any cancer cells that escaped the surgery. The only known ways to avoid cancer are to stay out of the sun and to not use tobacco.

AIDS is transmitted by a virus, and, unlike cancer, is contagious. It is usually transmitted by sexual contact, but any contact with contaminated bodily fluids can spread the disease. There is no cure, but drugs can cause remission of symptoms, sometimes for years.

Answer 8

I believe cancer is hereditary.

I think that are other things linked to cancer like pesticides and smoking.

Some cancers are cureable and people that have a history in their family should be getting regular checkups.

I am not a doctor so I cannot say which is worse cancer or aids. I don't believe there is a cure yet for aids. There is a cure for some cancers. It would be good to have insurance.

Answer 9

In 1990, I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma, stage 3-B, but I've survived. My doctors were great people, but they were limited to surgery, chemo and radiation by profitable AMA treatment policy. During the year in treatment, I started learning about alternative medicine. I'm a retired engineer, and this is what I've pieced together--our IMMUNE SYSTEMS become weakened by poor nutrition, lack of exercise and reduced oxygen. Once that happens, our body becomes vulnerable to common STRESSORS. Stressors can be environmental, like viruses, heavy metals, pesticides, food additives, electromagnetic waves or pollution. They can be internal things like emotional or job stress, or poisonous people in our lives. Aging is also a contributing factor. So this means:

WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM + STRESSORS = DISEASE (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc.)

Our bodies have 60 trillion--yes, trillion--cells, and there are always some mutating into cancer cells, but a healthy immune system kills them before they have a chance to get a foothold in the body.

It takes a LONG time, usually, or a high level of stressors, to weaken the immune system to the point where it won't do its job, but once cancer has formed, it will generally spread rapidly.

THIS IS IMPORTANT! There are ways to BEAT cancer that are currently being used in Europe and around the world, and there are some great books on the subject. I know because I've read about 50 of them from cover to cover. Here's a list of the best ones. Some are out of print and getting hard to find--

"The Cure for All Cancers", ISBN 0963632825
"The Cure for All Advanced Cancers", ISBN 1890035165
"A Cancer Therapy", ISBN 0882681052
"Oxygen Therapies", ISBN 0962052701
"Hydrogen Peroxide--Medical Miracle", ISBN 1885236077
"The Natural Cure for Cancer--Germanium", ISBN 0533071410
"Killing Cancer", ISBN 0705000966
"Natural Cures 'They' Don't Want You to Know About", ISBN 0975599518

I know of people whose cancer has 'spontaneously remitted' (WENT AWAY for no known reason) AFTER they went on programs of herbs and nutrition to restart their immune systems.

You and your family must look out for yourselves to stand a chance of being healthy. This is not a joke, and I'm not selling anything--just trying to help.
I am using the things I learned in those books right now to fight off a second infestation of cancer. I've been at it for over a year now, and think I'm going to make it. Use what works for you, and pass on your success. Best of luck.

Answer 10

You actually don't 'get' cancer. Everyone already has cancer within their body. The cancer, however can be stimulated by a weakness within the body. For example: cigarettes weakens the lining of ones throat, so often times they will develop lung cancer. The fact is however that not all smokers develop lung cancer, just as all those whom tan and accept UV rays harsthly upon their flesh, don't always develope skin cancer. There has to be an already, very weakened: immune system,blood cell fuctioning, or blood circulation in general, to generate the cancers development into something harmful. Cancer is not generally a danger (because we all have it, as I said before) its the weakness' within our body system that are dangerous, and cause the cancer(s) to be as well.