Risk Factors or Causes of Cancer

Other reasons to consider are genetic risk factors that reinforce the possibility that you get the disease in your lifetime. However, a higher risk for common cancers is due to lifestyle factors. Examples are the things you do like smoking and the food you eat. These unhealthy habits are what causes most cancer types.

Also, there are people who have genetic risk but never develop tumors. There are those who show every sign of health and do not have any risk factors but are diagnosed with it later on.

What are uncontrollable risks? They are risk factors that are connected to your genes which you simply cannot avoid. Your genes are basic parts of who you are. They are also where the disease starts.

These risk factors are:

1. Human Aging

Human aging is something you can't control. It happens to everyone.

As you grow older, your body weakens and becomes more sensitive to risk factors for tumor development. Your body deteriorates at a much faster speed if you are not careful with your health.

Aging is of the major risk factors for most common types of cancer such as those that grow in your breasts, colon and prostate.

My father died from metastatic lung cancer last 2010. He was 81 when he was diagnosed. He used to be a chain smoker during his younger years and even when he already quit the habit, smoking already damaged his lungs. His age also was a factor that caused cancerous cells to overran his healthy cells.

2. DNA or Genetic Mutations

Genetic mutations are damages affecting the DNA of your genes. Your cells are equipped to repair themselves.

There are times that these damages can't be repaired by your cells resulting to gene or DNA mutations. They become causes or risk factors for tumor development.

3. Family's History of Tumor Growth

Your family's history of cancer is one of the risk factors because certain types of tumor tend to "run" in a family. Breast tumor is one such type.

Some kinds of cancer are either hereditary or familial.

Family history is one of the risk factors that plays a major role in what causes colon cancer.

4. Presence of Hormones

Unusual amount of certain hormones is found to be closely linked to some leading types of cancer. An example of such hormone is estrogen. It is particularly associated with what causes breast cancer.

Why is it important to learn the potential risks or causes of cancer that lead to its growth? It's because prevention is easier if you know what risk factors trigger it.

A single explanation for what actually causes it is almost impossible because in most leading types, two or more risks may join together and produce an opportunity for the disease to start. However, awareness of the nature of the disease is the first step on prevention.