HABITS AND CANCER

Smoking

A number of researches over the years show that lung cancer is greatly linked with smoking this means that there is a close relationship between cancer and tobacco. Lung cancer deaths in the United States show that there is a drastic increase in lung cancer deaths with the increase of smoking and in recent there is a decrease in lung cancer deaths with the decrease in smoking. Similarly tobacco, diet, exercise, alcohol, tanning choices, and certain sexually transmitted diseases are the major risks for other types of cancer.

Light

There is a correlation between cancer incidence with the lower levels of melatonin produced in the body when people spend more time in bright-light conditions. This effect is compounded in people who sleep fewer hours and in people who work at night, two groups that are known to have higher cancer rates.

Diet

Obesity increases the risk of cancer. Cancer is greatly linked with the eating habits, for example gastric cancer is more common in Japan and colon cancer is more common in the United States. Epidemiologists studying both diet and serum levels observed that high levels of beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, were associated with a protective effect, reducing the risk of cancer. Effect is strong in lung cancer. Tests found no benefit of beta-carotene supplementation in reducing lung cancer incidence and mortality.

Genetic cause of cancer

Cancer has become the most fatal disorder these days. Genetically Cancer can be looked upon as a problem with differentiation and development. When normal cells of animals differentiate, there are control mechanisms to regulate their growth and division. When cells multiply, they become crowded and start touching each other. This surface contact results in inhibition of cell movement and division.

On the other hand, cells which continue to divide and give rise to a tissue mass referred to as tumour. These can also invade other tissues and tumours can arises in new locations, this is cancer. The genetic information is present in codon form and due to the attack of X-rays, viruses and chemical mutagens these codons get change. Epstein-barr, herpes virus and Papilloma virus are main cancer causing viruses. Many cancers appear essentially due to the activation of a set of genes referred to as ONCOGENES.

There are about 20 viral genes, which are known to cause cancer. These genes are called VIRAL ONCOGENES. Surprisingly, each VIRAL ONCOGENES has a homologous base sequence in the DNA of the normal animal cells. This sequence is named PROTOONCOGENE. PROTOONCOGENES control the production of proteins, which stimulate the growth and cell division. PROTOONCOGENES turned on to cause cancer and this happens in 2 ways -

1. A PROTOONCOGENE is placed next to a gene that is not normally next to it and this boosts its expression.


2. PROTOONCOGENE is moved from its normal position on a chromosome and placed next to a gene, which is normally very active.

Many PROTOONCOGENES are involved in normal growth and development of cells. In cancer this normal function is subverted so that the PROTOONCOGENES are slightly altered or broken into fragments or amplified and are transferred to a new chromosomal location. These ONCOGENES now come under an altered environment and different regulatory controls. All these changes result in altered genomic complement and lead to the formation of abnormal proteins, which now are responsible for the uncontrolled growth, which is cancerous.

What Leukemia cancer Means?

Cancer can affect every part of body, but when it affects the most critical organs like heart, lungs and blood, it is considered most harmful and non-curable disease. But when cancer affects the blood tissue it become a threat to life and this type of cancer is known as leukemia. An over-exposure to benzene or radioactive radiations can cause leukemia. It will cause abnormal circulation of blood, which affects supply of essential nutrients to the body.

Blood is the most important connective tissue of a living being or we can call it life of man. Leukemia can affect the whole body, as Blood inter-relates all body organs like heart, brain, kidneys and lungs with one another and also supplies oxygen and essential nutrients to every part of body. So it will cause the dysfunction of organs by supplying injurious particles. Hence blood cancer is most terrible disease.

In leukemia white blood cells or leukocytes become abnormal. These are vital for functioning of body as these fight against the infection. So due to fall in number and change in form of leukocytes because of leukemia, cellular immunity fell down damaging the body defense against infection. Main symptoms of disease are high production of abnormal and infected leukocytes by the marrow. Modified leukocytes can damage the normal functioning of red blood cells leading to the hindered oxygen supply and of course leading to Anemia. Cancerous cells obstruct the tissue supply with hemoglobin and the body cells suffer from the lack of iron. Headache, night sweats and neuro-psychic appears when cancerous cells reach the brain.

Cancerous leukemia cells are easily detectable under microscope and suspected is advised to undergo bone marrow inspection. Leukemia is pointed out by swollen lymph nodes through out the body and mainly around neck and thighs. Chemotherapy is most effective treatment when patient have to swallow many drugs. Patients losing hair and skin texture may go under radiotherapy.

Leukemia can be cured if detected and treated at right time. Bone marrow transplant can help to regain healthy white cells.

Stopping Cancer Without Killing It

Cancer experts may have found a new way to curb cancer: halting cancer cells in their tracks. That tactic is called senescence. In senescence, cells don't divide, which means a cancer could not grow. Triggering senescence in certain cells appears to hamper the growth of some tumors, according to lab tests done on mice (www.webmd.com).

The tests were done by researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, including Sandy Chang, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of molecular genetics. Their study appears online in EMBO Reports, a publication of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).

Truth about cancer

The primary cause of cancer was discovered by Dr. Warburg who is considered best biochemist of world. He was mainly interested in respiration of cells and particularly cancer cells. A quotation of DR. Warburg is-

"Life without oxygen in a living world that has been created by oxygen was so unexpected that it would have been too much to ask that anaerobiosis of cancer cells should be accepted at once by all scientists. "

Anaerobiosis means “life can sustain without Oxygen”

So the low oxygen level inside the human body promotes the growth of a special kind of cells named cancer, which is primary cause of cancer. For his discovery of the nature and mode of action of the respiratory enzyme DR. Warburg awarded with Nobel Prize in medicine. Enzyme is a catalyst that helps other cells to react together. But respiratory enzyme enables the body cells to respire.

For sustaining cancer cells require much less oxygen in comparison to healthy cells. But still cancer cells take more energy than healthy cells. Then what type of diet promotes the growth of cancer cells? Healthy cells rich in sugar and low in protein will prefer to change in to cancer cells in low level of oxygen. It should be vital that we find out how to give our cells all the oxygen they could possibly need.

Cancer can be accomplished by oxygenating the body in a normal healthy way that can be exercised through eating things, which promote the healthy respiration or breathing of body cells. Calcium rich food can also be taken. Avoiding the cigarette smoking, we will become able to avoid the primary cause of cancer but this does not mean that cigarettes cause cancer rather these can lower down the oxygen level of body which differ from man to man, for example some people smoke through out the life and do not become cancerous while other become cancerous in a short time.