The Mysterious Origin
of
Cancer The causes of
cancer are complex, involving genetic, environmental and other factors, and the specific causes are not yet clear.
(1) Potential influence of genetic factors Common malignant tumors that are prone to inheritance include colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer and gastric cancer. Studies have shown that 20% to 30% of colorectal cancer patients have a family history of various types of cancer. Relatives of patients with hereditary tumors have a greatly increased risk of morbidity of the same or related malignancies, for example, men with a family history of breast cancer are more likely to develop male breast cancer. Genetic factors may be that some gene mutations are passed on to future generations, or that mutations occur during an individual’s life, thus increasing the risk of cancer.
(2) Potential risks of chemical factors Chemical carcinogens are widespread in daily life. For example, benzidine and ethylaniline in dyes have strong carcinogenic effects; nitrosamine is an important carcinogen in the digestive system, which mainly exists in overnight food, barbecue and automobile exhaust; polycyclic hydrocarbons such as coal tar, anthracene oil and crude paraffin are chemical carcinogens; mycotoxin is a metabolite of mold, which has carcinogenic effects; There are also inorganic arsenic, asbestos and so on, which have carcinogenic effects. Long-term exposure to chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, tar and industrial waste gas may induce cancers such as lung cancer and leukemia.
(3) Potential threat radiation of physical factors is divided into ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation. The high energy of ionizing radiation can directly cause DNA damage and gene mutation, so it may cause cancer. For example, radon is a radioactive gas, and long-term exposure to radon can increase the risk of lung cancer. Radionuclides such as radium, plutonium and cesium can increase the risk of cancer after long-term exposure. Radioactive dust is released in nuclear explosions or nuclear accidents, causing harm to human beings and the environment; Medical instruments such as CT, PET and X-ray are ionizing radiation sources, and children should avoid using them as far as possible. Non-ionizing radiation energy is low, and it is generally believed that it is not carcinogenic, such as mobile phone radiation, microwave oven radiation, Wi-Fi and so on.
(4) Biological factors may lead to cancer. There are four very clear causes of cancer, namely, hepatitis B virus, which can lead to hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis B, and then may lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer; Helicobacter pylori, which is the pathogenic factor leading to gastric cancer; HPV, also known as human papillomavirus, can cause cervical cancer, and EB virus can cause nasopharyngeal cancer. In addition, modern studies suggest that some viral infections are closely related to cancer, such as EB virus infection and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, human papillomavirus infection and cervical cancer, herpes virus can lead to lymphoma, and hepatitis B virus is related to primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
(5) The complex role of internal factors may lead to gene mutation in the process of cell division and replication. As we age, cells become more fragile and the immune system function declines, making the body less able to monitor and eliminate cancer cells. In addition, endogenous factors such as genetic susceptibility and gene mutation, aging, decreased immunity, obesity and chronic inflammation may also increase the risk of cancer.
(6) The combined effects of external factors Chronic inflammation may lead to long-term stress of cells and increase the risk of mutation. Malnutrition can affect the body’s normal metabolism and immune system function, making the body more vulnerable to cancer cells. Immune system problems may prevent the body from effectively recognizing and eliminating cancer cells. In addition, environmental factors such as air pollution and dust pollution in the workplace, as well as psychological factors such as long-term unhappiness and depression, may also increase the risk of cancer.
II. The Scientific Way
of Cancer Prevention and Treatment
(1) The key role of reasonable diet is essential for the prevention of cancer. Clean and hygienic diet is the basis to avoid eating moldy food, because aflatoxin may be related to the occurrence of liver cancer. Not chewing betel nut and not smoking can prevent the occurrence of oral cancer and lung cancer to a certain extent, and not drinking alcohol can reduce the occurrence of esophageal cancer and liver cancer. Eating more fruits, vegetables and coarse grains, such as fruits and vegetables, can supplement our vitamins and trace elements to meet our daily nutritional needs. Staple food can eat more coarse grains, rich in dietary fiber, can better promote digestive function. At the same time, red meat such as beef and pork should be eaten as little as possible, and high-protein meat such as fish should be eaten more. In addition, diet diversification, get rid of the problem of picky eating, balanced food is the most reasonable eating habits, otherwise it will cause nutritional deficiencies.
(2) The positive significance of adjusting the state of mind is to maintain a good state of mind and relax the mood, which is of positive significance to the prevention of cancer. In modern society, people are faced with a variety of pressures, and it is very important to take appropriate ways to release the pressure of work. You can relax yourself through sports, meditation, reading and so on. Keeping enough sleep and staying up as little as possible can also reduce the probability of cancer to a certain extent. Lack of sleep can affect the function of the immune system and make the body more vulnerable to cancer cells.
(3) The important value of regular physical examination is the key link of cancer prevention and treatment. Early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment are the key to the treatment of cancer. People of different ages need different physical examination items. For example, young people also need to have regular vision and hearing tests, regular dental examinations and so on. For those with family genetic history, patients with chronic diseases, people with high risk of cancer and people with long-term bad living habits, regular and comprehensive health check-up should be carried out. Regular physical examination can achieve early detection early treatment of potential diseases and provide better opportunities for cancer treatment.
(4) Proper exercise has many benefits. Proper exercise can improve immunity and physical fitness. The resistance of many cancer patients is lower than that of normal people, and some patients have a tendency to thrombosis due to the progress of the disease and drug factors. Regular moderate exercise can accelerate human blood circulation, promote metabolism, improve cardiopulmonary function and immunity, and help cancer patients with basic physical fitness and prevention of thrombosis. Simple physical exercise, such as walking and jogging, can also effectively prevent cancer. Proper exercise can reduce insulin resistance, reduce the time from consumption to transport, metabolism of endogenous steroid hormones and hormone levels in blood circulation. Regular and continuous exercise can also prevent weight gain, overweight and obesity, thus preventing obesity-related cancer.
(5) Other preventive measure In addition to the above methods, there are some other preventive measure. Vaccination can prevent colorectal cancer, liver cancer, cervical cancer and other diseases. Prevent overexposure. Prolonged exposure to the sun, excessive radiation, and exposure to chemicals can cause cancer. Avoid overexposure. Reduce psychological stress, long-term emotional instability and stress may lead to a decline in the body’s immunity, increase the risk of cancer, should reduce psychological stress, maintain physical and mental health.
III. Future prospects
for cancer prevention and treatment
It is emphasized that cancer prevention and control is a long-term process, which is full of challenges but promising prospects and requires sustained efforts.
(1) With the continuous progress of treatment technology, cancer treatment technology is expected to make greater breakthroughs in the future. Personalized medicine and precision therapy will be more mature, through in-depth analysis of the genome and proteome of tumors, to customize a more precise treatment plan for each patient. For example, targeted therapy for specific tumor markers will continue to expand the scope of application and improve the pertinence and effectiveness of treatment. Immunotherapy will also continue to progress, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T cell therapy, which are expected to expand the scope of treatment and benefit more cancer patients. The development of gene editing technology provides a new way of thinking for cancer treatment. The use of gene editing technologies such as CRISPR to directly modify the sequences of cancer-related genes is expected to inhibit the growth and metastasis of cancer cells. Cellular immunotherapy will also continue to innovate, including CAR-T cell therapy and T cell receptor engineering, which are expected to significantly improve the survival rates of cancer.
(2) In the future, non-invasive methods such as liquid biopsy and biomarker screening can be used to detect cancer at an early stage and improve the survival rate of patients. The application of artificial intelligence and machine learning will help analyze a large amount of medical data and improve the accuracy and efficiency of diagnosis. For example, by sequencing the whole genome of a patient, the most effective and suitable treatment plan can be quickly determined, providing doctors with rapid diagnostic insights and tailoring individualized treatment plans for patients.
(3) The development of comprehensive treatment methods Cancer is a complex disease, and a single treatment method is difficult to achieve the desired effect. The future trend of treatment will be the combination of various treatment methods to form an individualized comprehensive treatment plan. For example, surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and other methods are combined to formulate the best treatment plan according to the specific conditions of patients in order to improve survival rates and quality of life.
(IV) Policy support and social cooperation Policy changes and partnerships will expand access to cancer therapies. Promote equitable access to the latest innovations through partnerships and policy reforms, including clinical trials, precision medicine and the application of genomic technologies. At the same time, cooperation between community oncologists and academic medical centers should be strengthened to ensure that patients can receive the treatment they need at the right time and place. Public welfare organizations will also play an important role in cancer prevention and treatment, helping cancer patients and their families overcome difficulties through publicity and education, financial support and psychological support. Enterprises should also actively promote healthy lifestyle and provide health check-up and preventive health care services.
In a word, cancer prevention and treatment is a long-term and arduous task, but with the progress of science and technology and the joint efforts of society, the future prospects are promising. We need to continue our efforts to explore new treatment methods and preventive measure to bring more hope to cancer patients.
Cancer
