Cancer Cause & Effect

Toxins- Smog Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine with the primary emissions to form photochemical smog. Smog is also caused by large amounts of coal burning in an area caused by a mixture of smoke, sulfur dioxide and other components. The problems caused by smog vary according to the pollution type. They include : Lung damage from bronchitis to cancer; severe eye irritation; blackened buildings; smelly hair and clothes.

Toxins- Alcohol Liver. Prolonged, heavy drinking has been associated in many cases with primary liver cancer. However, it is liver cirrhosis, whether caused by alcohol or another factor, that is thought to induce the cancer. In areas of Africa and Asia, liver cancer afflicts 50 or more people per 100,000 per year, usually associated with cirrhosis caused by hepatitis viruses. In the United States, liver cancer is relatively uncommon, afflicting approximately 2 people per 100,000, but excessive alcohol consumption is linked to as many as 36 percent of these cases by some investigators.

Toxins- Tobacco Cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. In fact, smoking tobacco is the major risk factor for lung cancer. In the United States, about 90% of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80% of lung cancer deaths in women are due to smoking. People who smoke are 10 to 20 times more likely to get lung cancer or die from lung cancer than people who do not smoke. The longer a person smokes and the more cigarettes smoked each day, the more risk goes up

Toxins –(PCB) Polychlorinated Biphenyls PCBs are a class of organic compounds with 2 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl, which is a molecule composed of two benzene rings. There are 209 different variables of these arrangements and orientations that make up the PCB family, but only 130 are commercially used. Twelve PCBs were widely used as dielectric and coolant fluids, for example in transformers, capacitors, and electric motors. Due to PCBs' toxicity and classification as a persistent organic pollutant, PCB production was banned by the United States Congress in 1979. A few studies of workers indicate PCBs were associated with specific kinds of cancer in humans, such as cancer of the liver and biliary tract. PCBs also have been shown to mimic the action of estrogen in breast cancer cells and can enhance breast carcinogenesis.

Radiation- Atomic The associations between radiation exposure and the development of cancer are mostly based on populations exposed to relatively high levels of ionizing radiation (e.g., Japanese atomic bomb survivors, and recipients of selected diagnostic or therapeutic medical procedures). Cancers associated with high-dose exposure (greater than 50,000 mrem) include leukemia, breast, bladder, colon, liver, lung, esophagus, ovarian, multiple myeloma, and stomach cancers.

Radiation- Ultra Violet Light Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is now one of the most common cancers among adolescents and young adults ages 15-29. While melanoma accounts for about three percent of skin cancer cases, it causes more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths. UV exposure and sunburns, particularly during childhood, are risk factors for the disease. Not all melanomas are exclusively sun-related—other possible influences include genetic factors and immune system deficiencies

Radiation- X-Ray Radiation affects people by depositing energy in body tissue, which can cause cell damage or cell death. In some cases there may be no noticeable effect. In other cases, the cell may survive but become abnormal, either temporarily or permanently. Additionally, an abnormal cell may become malignant. Both large and small doses of radiation can cause cellular damage. The extent of the damage depends upon the total amount of energy absorbed, the time period and dose rate of the exposure, and the particular organs exposed. By damaging the genetic material (DNA) contained in the body’s cells, radiation can cause cancer. Damage to genetic material in reproductive cells can cause genetic mutations that can be passed on to future generations. In rare occurrences where there is a large amount of radiation exposure, sickness or even death can occur in a limited amount of hours or days.

Virus- Human immunodeficiency virus Kaposi Sarcoma HIV, the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), does not appear to cause cancers directly. But HIV infection increases a person’s risk of getting several types of cancer, especially some linked to other viruses such as HHV-8 (see section below) and HPV. HIV infection has been linked to a higher risk of developing Kaposi sarcoma and invasive cervical cancer. It is also linked to certain kinds of lymphoma, especially non-Hodgkin lymphoma and central nervous system lymphoma. Anti-HIV drugs may be used to reduce the risk of Kaposi sarcoma and cervical cancer. Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Virus- Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus Both HBV and HCV cause viral hepatitis, a type of liver infection. Other viruses can also cause hepatitis (hepatitis A virus, for example), but only HBV and HCV can cause the long-term infections that increase a person’s chance of liver cancer. In the United States, about 30% of liver cancers are linked to HBV or HCV infection. This number is much higher in some other countries, where both the infections and liver cancer are much more common.

Virus- Human papilloma viruses (HPVs) Human papilloma viruses (HPVs) are a group of over 100 related viruses that can cause warts on the skin, mouth, genital organs, and larynx. They are spread by contact (touch), including through sex. HPV infections are very common in people who are sexually active. There are no effective treatments for HPV other than removing or destroying cells that are known to be infected. In most people, the body’s immune system controls the HPV infection or gets rid of it over time. Certain types of HPV are the main cause of cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. Cervical cancer has become much rarer in the United States because the Pap test has been widely available for many years. This test can show pre-cancerous changes in cells of the cervix that might be caused by HPV infection. These changed cells can then be treated or removed, if needed. Treatment can keep cancer from developing.