What is Cancer?

Cancer refers to any one of a large number of improper cellular functions characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to impede and destroy normal body tissue. Cancer can also spread to many other locations in the body. Being diagnosed with cancer is frightening. But understanding what's going on inside your body can help you feel more in control of your situation and finding solutions to make it better.

Who Gets Cancer?

Cancer doesn't discriminate when it comes to race, sex or age - anyone can get cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that half the men and one-third of the women in the United States will develop cancer in their lifetimes. It is estimated that about 1.4 million new cases of cancer are expected in 2007, and about 560,000 people will die of the disease.

What Causes Cancer?

Cancer begins with damage (mutations) in your DNA or expressions of your DNA. Your DNA is like a set of detailed instructions for your cells, telling them how to grow and divide. Normal cells often develop mutations in their DNA, but they have the ability to repair many of these mutations. Or, if they can't make the repairs, the cells often die or the immune system removes them. However, certain mutations that are not repaired can cause the cells to grow and become cancerous, causing uncontrolled cell division and loss of specific function. These changes also cause cancer cells to live beyond a normal cell life span allowing the cancerous cells to accumulate.

The initial genetic mutation is just the beginning of the process by which cancer develops. Scientists believe you need a number of changes within your cells in order to develop cancer, including:

• An initiator to cause a genetic mutation. Sometimes you're born with this initial genetic mutation. Other times a genetic mutation is caused by forces within your body, such as hormones, viruses and chronic inflammation. Genetic mutations can also be caused by forces outside of your body, such as excessive ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) in your environment.
• A promoter to cause rapid cell growth. Promoters take advantage of genetic mutations created by initiators. Promotors cause cells to divide rapidly. This could lead to a tumor. Promoters could be inherited, could come from inside your body or could come from outside your body.
• A progressor to cause cancer to become aggressive and spread. Without a progressor a tumor may remain benign and localized. Progressors make cancers more aggressive and more likely to spread. Like initiators and promoters, progressors could be inherited or they could come from environmental sources.

Your genetic makeup, forces and the environment within your body, your lifestyle choices and your external environment can all set the stage for cancer or help complete the process once it's started. For instance, if you've inherited a genetic mutation that predisposes you to cancer, you may be more likely than other people to develop cancer when exposed to a certain cancer-causing substance. The genetic mutation begins the cancer process, and the cancer-causing substance could play a role in further cancer development. Likewise, smokers who work with asbestos are more likely to develop lung cancer than smokers who don't work with asbestos because the two carcinogens both play roles in cancer development.

The sooner a cancer is found and treatment begins, the better are the chances for living for many years. Though the National Cancer Institute does not appear to be accepting of complementary/alternative/integrative cancer therapies, instead opting to promote conventional treatments, their website contains a very comprehensive list of cancers and symptoms to look for - click here to view.

What Increases Your Risk of Cancer?

While doctors have an idea of what can put you at risk of cancer, the majority of cancers occur in people who don't have any known risk factors. Factors known to increase your risk of cancer include:

• Your habits

  Certain lifestyle choices are known to increase your risk of cancer. Smoking, drinking more than one drink a day (for women) or two drinks a day (for men), excessive exposure to the sun or frequent blistering sunburns, and having unsafe sex can contribute to cancer. You can break these habits to lower your risk of cancer - though some habits are easier to break than others.

• Your family history

  About 10 percent of cancers are due to an inherited condition. If cancer is common in your family, it's possible that mutations are being passed from one generation to the next. You might be a candidate for genetic screening to see whether you have inherited mutations that might increase your risk of cancer. Keep in mind that having an inherited genetic mutation doesn't necessarily mean you'll get cancer.

• Your health conditions

  Some chronic health conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, can markedly increase your risk of developing certain cancers. Talk to your doctor about your risk.

• Your environment

  The environment around you may contain harmful chemicals that can increase your risk of cancer. Even if you don't smoke, you might inhale secondhand smoke if you go places where people are smoking or you live with someone who smokes. Chemicals in your home or work environment, such as asbestos and benzene, also are associated with an increased risk of cancer.

• Your dietary choices

  The risk of developing most types of cancer can be reduced by changes in a person's lifestyle, such as eating a better diet including effective supplements. Click here to read more on supplements and the link between nutrition and chronic diseases.

What are the Options for Cancer Treatment?

There are many options for the treatment of cancer, both traditional as well as complementary/alternative/integrative (CAIM). Traditional methods include chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. CAIM has many options to choose from, both for standalone and integrative options. Some examples include some biological/immuno/nutritional therapies, among others. Click here to read more on CAIM therapies we advocate.

As always, we at the FACR encourage you to do your own research, educate yourself on the specific type of cancer and available treatment options. And first and foremost, if you are not leading a healthy lifestyle, start immediately. Information is the force of change!

Cancer Statistics, Research and What It All Means

Click here to view the most recent statistics on cancer. This data includes information on incidence, mortality and survival rates, which are the three most common groups of statistics produced about cancer. Understanding what each one means is integral to being able to comprehend and apply what you're reading. Read more on the reliability of statistics and what they can and cannot tell you.

For an explanation of cancer research papers and clinical trials, and what kind of info each can provide, click here.