• Cancer occurs due to changes or mutations in the DNA within cells. The DNA inside a cell is assembled into a large number of individual genes, each of which contains a set of instructions that tell the cell what functions it should perform, as well as how it should grow and divide. Errors in these instructions can cause the cell to stop performing its normal function, and may allow the cell to become cancerous.
What do genetic mutations do?
A genetic mutation may direct a healthy cell to:
• Allow rapid growth. A genetic mutation may cause a cell to grow and divide more quickly. This results in the production of many new cells that all contain the same mutation.
• Failure to stop abnormal cell growth. Normal cells know when to stop growing so you have the right number of each cell type. While cancer cells lose control tools (tumor suppressor genes) that determine when to stop growing. A mutation within a tumor suppressor gene allows cancer cells to continue to grow and accumulate.
• Making mistakes when repairing DNA errors. DNA repair genes look for errors in the cell’s DNA and fix them. A mutation in a DNA repair gene may mean that other errors are not corrected, leading to cell cancer.
What are the causes of genetic mutations?
Genetic mutations can occur for several reasons, including, for example:
• Genetic mutations you were born with. You may be born with a genetic mutation that you inherited from your parents. This type of mutation is responsible for a small percentage of cancers.
• Genetic mutations that occur after birth. Most genetic mutations occur after birth and are not hereditary. A number of factors can cause genetic mutations, such as smoking, exposure to radiation, viruses, cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens), obesity, hormones, chronic infections, and lack of exercise.
Gene mutations occur frequently during normal cell development. But cells contain a mechanism that can recognize when an error has occurred and fix it. However, this mechanism may fail to recognize errors from time to time.
This may cause the cell to become cancerousRisk factors:
Although doctors have an idea of what may increase the risk of cancer, the majority of cancers affect people who do not have any known risk factors. Factors known to increase the risk of cancer include:
Getting older:
It can take decades for cancer to develop, which is why most people with cancer are 65 or older. Although cancer is more common among older people, it is not limited to adults only, and cancer can be diagnosed at any age.
Negative life habits:
There are certain lifestyles that are known to increase the risk of cancer. Factors that lead to cancer include smoking, drinking more than one alcoholic drink a day for women or more than two alcoholic drinks a day for men, intense sun exposure or frequent sunburn blisters, obesity, and unprotected sex.
You can change these habits to reduce your risk of cancer, although some habits are easier to change than others.
Family medical history:
There are a few types of cancer that are caused by a genetic condition. If cancer is common in your family, mutations have likely been passed down from generation to generation. You may be a candidate for genetic testing to see if you have inherited mutations that may increase your risk of certain cancers. But keep in mind that having an inherited gene mutation does not necessarily mean you will develop cancer.
The circumstances surrounding the:
Some chronic conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, may significantly increase your risk of some types of cancer. Talk to your doctor about your risk.
The surrounding environment :
Your environment may contain harmful chemicals that can increase your risk of cancer. Even if you don’t smoke, you may be exposed to secondhand smoke if you go somewhere where people smoke or if you live with someone who smokes. Chemicals in your home or workplace, such as asbestos and benzene, are also linked to an increased risk of cancer.
