| Cancer is a disease in which the body
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| | cancers are related to tobacco products
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| cells grow uncontrollably because their
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| | such as cigarettes and cigars. 10% of
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| normal regulatory mechanisms have been
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| | skin cancer cases are related to the sun
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| damaged. There are literally hundreds of
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| | and UV rays. 7% of lymphoma, leukaemia,
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| different types and subtypes of cancer
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| | bone cancer and liver cancer cases are
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| however the majority form solid tumours
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| | related to viruses such as Epstein Barr,
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| in specific areas of the body. The most
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| | HIV, Hepatitis C etc. Pesticides and
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| common cancers are skin cancer, breast
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| | chemicals, or occupational factors figure
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| cancer, lung cancer, bowel cancer and
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| | into 4% or mouth, throat, stomach and
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| prostate cancer. Unfortunately the
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| | lymphoma cancer cases. Approx 3% of
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| disease is very proficient at spreading
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| | stomach, colon and liver cancer have been
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| through the blood and the lymphatic
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| | linked to excessive consumption of
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| system and so in advanced cancer cases it
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| | alchohol.
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| is not uncommon to see secondary tumours
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| | Aging and Cancer
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| in far off areas of the body.
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| | Cancer is most common among older people,
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| The Genetics of Cancer
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| | largely because their cells have had more
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| One of the most important breakthroughs
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| | time to accumulate genetic damage, but
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| in cancer research came in the late 1970s
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| | also because the body's defences against
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| when scientists discovered that all types
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| | cancer, particularly the cells and
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| of cancer begin with the genetic material
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| | proteins of the immune system, gradually
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| within normal body cells becoming
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| | become less efficient with age. In
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| damaged. Every cell contains genetic
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| | addition a cancer that began earlier in
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| information in the form of more than
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| | life may not be diagnosed until old age
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| 90,000 pairs of genes which work together
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| | because it can take years for some types
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| to control the activities of the cell. A
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| | of cancer, most noticeably prostate
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| cell can become cancerous when specific
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| | cancer, to grow large enough to produce
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| genes, such as those that control
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| | noticeable symptoms.
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| division, become damaged beyond repair.
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| | Because life expectancy has increased
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| How and why genes become damaged is still
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| | dramatically over the last 50 years it
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| a hot topic for research however it would
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| | means that cancer is now one of the most
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| seem that faulty genes are either
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| | common causes of death in the developed
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| inherited or they are caused by
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| | world, second only to coronary heart
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| carcinogens (cancer-causing agents), for
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| | disease.
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| example sunlight and cigarette smoke.
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| | Cancer treatment today
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| Our body cells are continually exposed to
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| | For over 2000 years, doctors have
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| carcinogens however in the majority of
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| | attempted to cure cancer by surgically
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| cases cancer doesn't develop. There are a
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| | removing visible tumours. For some
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| number of reasons why this is so, for
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| | localised cancers radiotherapy is very
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| example:
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| | effective and this treatment is often
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| · Cells can normally repair their own
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| | combined with surgery with the aim of
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| damaged genes so that they continue to
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| | achieving a cure. Treatment with
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| function properly. · More than one gene
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| | anti-cancer drugs, known as chemotherapy,
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| has to be damaged in order for cancer to
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| | may be used instead of or in combination
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| develop.
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| | with surgery to destroy cancers that have
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| · The body's immune system can normally
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| | unfortunately already spread around the
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| kill any cancer cells before they get the
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| | body.
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| chance to multiply and form a tumour.
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| | New therapies for the treatment of cancer
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| The Causes of Cancer
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| | that are currently being assessed include
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| Although most cancers appear to be caused
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| | inactivating the damaged genes so that
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| by several factors, including genetic
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| | they no longer send messages to the cell,
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| inherited ones, a main environmental
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| | and boosting the body's natural immune
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| cause can often be identified for a
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| | system so that it has the ability to
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| particular cancer i.e. smoking cigarettes
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| | destroy any cancerous cells. These
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| is commonly associated with lung cancer.
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| | therapies are still in the experimental
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| Approximately 35% of stomach cancer and
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| | phase however both the American Cancer
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| prostate cancer cases are related to
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| | Society and the National Cancer Institute
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| diets of unhealthy foods with little or
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| | of the UK, i.e. Cancer Research, are
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| no fresh fruit and vegetables. 30% of
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| | working towards making them viable
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| lung, breast, colon, cervical and throat
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| | treatment options for future generation.
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