The mutation of normal cell functions causes an accumulation of small errors to compound into severe errors through a chain reaction, thus causing abnormal (cancerous) cells to proliferate.  Due to their ability to self-replicate at such high rates, cancer cells are quite difficult to combat.  Even if destroyed, these abnormal cells still possess the capability of sending error-causing signals to other nearby cells which allows the whole process to start again.  Somatic evolution plays a key role in how cancer is able to thrive within the body once it’s been introduced.  In essence, normal cells and abnormal cells compete for space and resources such as glucose and oxygen.  A mutated (cancerous) cell can acquire an attribute which allows it to produce daughter cells at a higher rate than its competitor (non-cancerous) cells.  This is known as clonal expansion and it permits the cancer to expand inside the neoplasm.

Chemical Carcinogens Cause Cancer

The formation of cancer can be traced back to mutations of the DNA which impact metastasis and cell growth.  Mutagens are the substances responsible for mutating the DNA and the ones that cause cancer are called carcinogens.  Tobacco is known to contain over 50 chemical carcinogens.  It is no coincidence that tobacco use is the leading cause of cancer worldwide.  Not all chemical carcinogens are mutagens, however.  For example, asbestos is a mutagen carcinogen known for causing mesothelioma.  Alcohol is a chemical carcinogen capable of causing a variety of cancers, but it is not a mutagen.  The reason non-mutagen chemical carcinogens cause cancer is because they accelerate the rate of cell division leaving less time for enzymes to repair damaged DNA during DNA replication which in turn increases the likelihood of cell mutation.

Viral Infections Cause Cancer

Infections by pathogens can cause cancer.  In fact, viral infections are responsible for 15% of reported cases of cancer worldwide.  Research has shown that tobacco use is the only greater cause of cancer.  The main viral culprits are Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, human T-lymphotropic virus, and Epstein-Barr virus.  In viral cancer cases, there are two classifications, “acutely-transforming” and “slowly-transforming”.  Acutely-transforming viruses feature an overactive viral-oncogene (v-onc) and the infected cell is transformed directly upon exposure.  Slowly-transforming viruses feature the insertion of the virus near the regulator element which causes over-expression of the pronto-oncogenes, thus inducing uncontrolled cell division.

Immune System Dysfunction Causes Cancer

An immune deficiency state alters the body’s normal ability to fight infectious diseases and illness.  When the immune system is weakened, such as with cases of HIV, the body is at much greater risk of cancer.  Common cancers that attack weakened immune systems include: anal cancer, cervical cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and Kaposi’s sarcoma.  Once the immune surveillance capabilities have been compromised, it becomes an opportune time for these cancers to take effect.

Heredity Causes Cancer

The likelihood of becoming stricken with cancer can sometimes be inherited.  Due to defective genes (normally responsible for protection against tumors) some individuals find themselves more vulnerable to cancer.  Mutation of the  BRCA1 and BRCA2 elevates the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.  Mutation of the Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia types 1, 2a, and 2b increase the occurrence of tumors within the endocrine organs.  Mutation of the p53 found in the TP53 gene is known to cause Li-Fraumeni Syndrome.  Mutation of the APC gene leads to early onset of colon cancer.  Mutation of the retinoblastoma gene causes an increase of cancer amongst children.  Down syndrome patients with an extra chromosome 21 are more likely to develop leukemia and testicular cancer.

Ionizing Radiation Causes Cancer

Exposure to ionizing radiation has been shown to increase the risks of acquiring cancer.  Ionizing radiation is composed of particles capable of separating an electron from an atom or molecule.  What determines ionizing radiation is whether the radiation possesses sufficient energy to produce ionizations within a medium.  A common form of ionizing radiation is radon gas which has been confirmed to cause lung cancer.  Also, people residing in areas exposed to nuclear waste (another form of ionizing radiation) are at an elevated risk of cancer.

Hormonal Imbalances Cause Cancer

Hormonal imbalances have been shown to increase the risk of cancer.  The most common example is found in cases of endometrial cancer.  This form of cancer commonly afflicts women past the age of 50 and it’s often due to overproduction of the hormone estrogen.  When an excess level of estrogen is part of the estrogen/progesterone hormone ratio, it causes an imbalance which leads to an increased likelihood of acquiring uterine cancer.

French Fries & Potato Chips

Certain foods heated above 120 Celsius create a human carcinogen called acrylamide.  Foods found to have the highest concentration of acrylamide are french fries and potato chips.  According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, foods containing high levels of acrylamide pose a “major concern”.  High temperature cooking methods such as broiling, baking, and frying have been found to produce more acrylamide compared to boiling and microwaving.  Exposure to acrylamide has been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and renal cell cancer.

Coffee & Salty Foods

Coffee, sweets, and salty foods allow the cancer-causing Helicobacter pyloric (H. pylori) bacteria to proliferate inside the stomach.  As a matter of fact, Helicobacter pylori is associated with up to 90% of all cases of stomach cancer.  The Helicobacter pylori bacteria was first identified in 1982 by two Australian doctors, Robin Warren and Barry Marshall.  Their research indicated that elevated levels of H. pylori within the digestive system was directly responsible for the development of gastric cancer and ulcers inside the stomach and intestines.

Pickled Vegetables

The correlation between pickled vegetables and cancer was first observed in China.  Hospitals in China began tracking incidents of cancer over 50 years ago and discovered that certain regions were plagued with an unusually high amount of esophageal squamous cell cancer while other regions were not.  Upon closer examination, these high rates of esophagus cancer could be linked to those people’s reliance on fermented vegetables for nutrients in the affected areas.  More thorough research revealed that the fungi responsible for the fermenting process releases a variety of potential carcinogens during its natural life cycle.

Sugary Foods & Soda

According to a recent Italian study, excessive sugar consumption can increase the likelihood of pancreatic cancer by 78 percent.  Researchers believe the elevated levels of sugar cause the body to overproduce insulin which in turn accelerates the growth and division of pancreatic cells, thus encouraging the development of cancerous cells within the pancreas.  A study by Jonsson Cancer Center revealed that pancreatic cancer cells grew and reproduced at a much faster rate after being exposed to fructose (a type of sugar found in processed foods and soda).

Charred Meats

Meats cooked to the well-done stage or to the point of exhibiting a crispy brown crust have been shown to develop heterocyclic aromatic amines.  The US Department of Health has labeled heterocyclic amines as carcinogenic to humans.  Epidemiological studies have associated the intake of heterocyclic amines with colon cancer, rectal cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and esophagus cancer.  The compounds have been found to form in food when creatine, amino acids, and monosaccharides are heated together at high temperatures or cooked for long periods.

Alcohol

3.6% of all cancers are attributed to the consumption of alcohol.  Alcohol consumption is known to greatly increase the risk of breast cancer in women.  Alcohol also increases the risk of mouth cancer, esophagus cancer, pharynx and larynx cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, and ovarian cancer.  It is believed that acetaldehyde, a product of alcohol metabolism, impairs the natural ability of a cell to repair its DNA, thus causing cancer initiation to occur.  Recent studies suggest that exposure to alcohol causes certain oncogenes in human cells to trigger the promotion of cancer.

Farmed Fish

Farmed fish have been shown to contain high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), a carcinogen that derives from man-made chemicals originally used as insulating material for electrical equipment.  Although PCBs were banned within the US in 1977, they still contaminate the environment.  According to the Environmental Working Group, farmed salmon contains 16 times more PCBs than wild salmon.  Aside from fish, cows often ingest PCBs from contaminated grass and it’s then transferred to their fat, meat, and milk.  Cases of liver cancer and malignant melanoma have been linked to the consumption of PCBs.

Cured Meats

Cured meats such as bacon, sausage, and lunch meat are known to contain nitrosamines, a carcinogen linked to brain cancer in newborn children.  Studies have also indicated that high consumptions of cured meat increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 67 percent.  It has been discovered that nitrosamines cause tumors in rats and liver cancer in Norwegian farm animals.  Studies also support the association of nitrosamines with an accelerated risk of gastric cancer.

Change in bowel/bladder habits (unusual color, size, shape of stools) (frequent/infrequent urination)
A sore throat that doesn’t heal (throat becomes tight or swollen) (begin coughing up blood)
Unusual bleeding or discharge (Blood in urine or stools) (odd discharge from nipples, vagina, penis)
Thickening or lump in the breast, testicles, etc. (males are also vulnerable to breast cancer)
Indigestion or difficulty swallowing (pressure inside throat) (stomach feels full without eating)
Obvious change in the size, color, shape, thickness of a mole, wart, or mouth sore (apply ABCD rule)
Nagging cough or hoarseness (bloody sputum) (sore throat doesn’t subside) (changes in voice)

Symptoms are not limited to the seven warning signs of cancer above.  Additional signals include:

Chronic infections
Persistent aches and pains
Loss of appetite or unexplainable weight loss
Continual fever
Constant fatigue, nausea, and/or vomiting
Nagging headaches

If you’ve experienced any of the symptoms above for a continual duration of two weeks or more, schedule a medical exam.  Prompt diagnosis will enhance the effectiveness of any necessary treatments and will improve your chances for a successful recovery.