We do not know all of the risks and causes of cancer. However, there are a number of chemical, physical and biological agents that have been shown to trigger the mistakes in the cell blueprint that cause cancer. These are called carcinogens and include tobacco, ultraviolet (UV) radiation and asbestos.
A number of cancers share risk factors:
◉ Two in every three deaths in current long-term smokers can be directly related to smoking
◉ About 4.5% of cancers are related to alcohol consumption
◉ Many cancers occur as a direct result of dietary influences, from infectious agents or exposure to radiation (especially skin cancers from UV radiation- check for changes to any moles)
◉ Some cancers result from inherited ‘faulty’ genes
◉ Cancer is NOT caused by injury or stress.
It is important to note that not all cancers are associated to the risk factors mentioned above. Cancer can sometimes develop without any specific causes.
At least one in three cancer cases could be prevented and the number of cancer deaths could be reduced significantly by choosing a cancer-smart lifestyle.
Each year, more than 13,000 cancer deaths are due to smoking, sun exposure, poor diet, alcohol, inadequate exercise or being overweight.
Fortunately, there are a number of simple lifestyle changes you can make to help reduce your risk of cancer.
⯐ Early detection
Some cancers can be detected at an early stage when treatment is likely to be more effective. Tests have been developed that can detect these cancers well before any symptoms are present.
Tests are currently available through national population-based screening programs for breast cancer, cervical cancer and bowel cancer. These tests are provided free of charge for people who are eligible.
It is also a good idea to get to know your own body. If you notice any changes, such as a lump in your breast or a spot growing on your skin, see your doctor.
⯐ Cancer screening saves lives
Screening is one of the most effective ways to detect early signs of cancer.
It has never been more important to make sure your screening is up-to-date.
With COVID-19 on everyone’s mind, some things may have been forgotten or put off – like your screening test. Testing really does make a difference because if found early, cancer treatments have much better outcomes.
⯐ Cervical Cancer:
Women aged 25–74 will be invited to screen under the Cervical Screening Program. It is available in every Districts level hospital, Screening should be repeated every 5 years. If you are overdue for an appointment, or haven’t had a test since November 2017
⯐ Bowel Cancer:
People aged 50–74 could be able to screening test kit . It’s simple to do the test and send back your samples to find out if you need further consultation.
⯐ Breast Cancer:
Breast screening is recommended for women aged 50—74 and should be repeated every two years. Women aged 40–49 and over 74 are also eligible.
The aim of screening programs is to pick up very early cancers in healthy individuals, who do not have symptoms, or in some cases to prevent cancer.
Fortunately, being SunSmart is a simple and effective way to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.
Cancer Council provides guidance on how much sun you need and how to protect yourself from getting too much sun exposure. We also offer a range of high quality, affordable sun protection products to help keep you safe from the sun’s damaging UV rays.
Evidence shows that being overweight, having a poor diet, drinking alcohol and doing little or no exercise all increase your risk of developing certain cancers.
Poor nutrition and lack of physical activity also cause type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, arthritis and falls, accounting for nearly 20% of all disease and injury in Australia.
By maintaining a healthy weight, getting regular exercise and making healthy food choices, you can reduce your cancer risk.
Tobacco smoking is the largest preventable cause of cancer, responsible for more cancer deaths in Bangladesh than any other single factor. It is also directly responsible for many heart and lung diseases. Smoking affects the smoker, as well as those around them.
Here you will find information on the effects of smoking, help with stopping smoking and details about to reduce the harm caused by tobacco.
It is not uncommon for more than one member of a family to have cancer.
Trying to find information about cancers in your family and how to deal with them can be difficult. The following pages provide simple information about what it means to have a family history of cancer, some different types of family cancers and who you can contact for further information.
The information contained in this section should not be used for individual medical advice. Please see your doctor if you have concerns or specific questions relating to your health.
⯐ What is a Family History of Cancer?
Cancer is common – many people have someone in their family who currently has or has had cancer. It is not uncommon for more than one member of a family to have cancer.
Cancer can occur in families:
◉ Just by chance, which is most often the case
◉ Because family members have the same environmental and lifestyle risk factors, for example too much sun or smoking, or
◉ Because there is an inherited faulty gene which increases the risk of cancer, which is uncommon.
⯐ How can I tell if my family has a history of cancer?
Look at the family history on both your father’s and your mother’s side of the family. The clues that cancers in the family may be due to an inherited faulty gene include:
⯐ Number of blood relatives* who have had cancer:
The more blood relatives* who have had cancer (in particular breast, ovarian and/or bowel cancer), the more likely the cancer is due to an inherited faulty gene.
⯐ Ages at which cancers in the family developed:
The younger people were when they developed cancer (compared to what is expected in the general community), the more likely it is to be due to inherited factors.
⯐ Pattern of cancer in the family:
The type of cancer and who it affects in the family are important. In some families there are a number of blood relatives* who develop the same type of cancer, such as breast or bowel cancer. In other families there are some cancers that may run in the family (e.g. breast, ovarian or bowel cancer and cancer of the uterus). This happens because some faulty genes can cause more than one type of cancer.
The more clues that are present, the more likely it is that there is an inherited faulty gene in the family causing a higher than usual chance of cancer. However, it is not definite. It is important to know that some people who inherit a faulty gene which causes an increased risk of cancer never go on to develop cancer.
* A blood relative is someone related by blood (e.g. grandmother, father, sister), not marriage.
⯐ Family counselling and genetic counselling services
Genetic counselling services give people information about their chance of developing cancer based on their family history.
These services discuss ways that may help reduce the chance of cancer developing and methods of picking it up early. Sometimes genetic testing is possible, however it is only offered after the advantages and disadvantages of testing for the person and their family are discussed. Genetic testing is only useful if one of the family members with the cancer has been tested.
Genetic testing is the scientific testing of a person’s genes and is usually done when someone is at an increased risk of having inherited a changed gene (mutation). Your eligibility for genetic testing will be based on family history and other factors such as a family member having a specific type of cancer and an altered gene is the cause.
For certain cancers, where there is a family history, it is possible to text fro mutations in specific genes. For example, two genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2 are now known to be important in the development of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.
Most cancer occurs in people with no family history so talk to your Doctor about genetic testing, if you are eligible, and if it’s right for you.
Genetic testing is only appropriate for a small number of individuals referred to family cancer clinics (see Family cancers). Women aged 70 or younger who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer can also receive genetic testing to look for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.
The process involves taking blood from the person who has a specific cancer.
Testing may take considerable time. If the faulty gene causing the cancer is found, testing may be offered to other family members who have no signs of cancer.
Environmental Causes:
◉ Biological Risk Factors
◉ Physical Risk Factors
◉ Chemical Risk Factors
Your risk of cancer can increase through exposure to cancer-causing agents, also referred to as ‘carcinogens’. These agents may be biological (specific viruses or bacteria), physical (ultraviolet light, x-rays) or chemical. Only a minor fraction of chemicals cause cancer.
Many chemical carcinogens are well known and exposure is preventable, such as chemicals in asbestos or tobacco smoke. Some are less well recognised, such as alcohol.
As some are distinct from lifestyle choices (choosing to smoke, drink alcohol or engage in deliberate sun exposure), exposure to carcinogens may occur outside your control. Exposure may occur in the workplace, or in the wider environment through air, water or soil pollution. You may also be exposed to particular chemicals through the use of consumer products.
Involuntary exposure to carcinogens often comes to the public’s attention through reports in the media concerning particular issues (use of herbicides, contaminants of food, hazards associated with cosmetics etc). However, in all such instances, the level of cancer risk is rarely made clear. Such reports can cause alarm and confusion, even though there may be no risk or minimal risk.
⯐ Reduce the cancer risks for you and your workers
Occupational cancers are those that occur due to exposure to carcinogenic (cancer-causing) agents in the workplace. Such exposures include:
◉ A wide range of different industrial chemicals, dusts, metals and combustion products (e.g. asbestos or diesel engine exhaust)
◉ Forms of radiation (e.g. ultraviolet or ionising radiation)
◉ Entire professions and industries (e.g. working as a painter, or in aluminium production)
◉ Patterns of behaviour (e.g. shift working).
Occupational exposures to carcinogens are estimated to cause over a number of new cases of cancer in Bangladesh each year.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has identified over 165 cancer-causing agents that workers are potentially being exposed to in their workplace. A study in 2012 considered 38 of these agents of high priority and specific to Australian workplaces.
Occupational groups where exposure was greatest included farmers, drivers, miners and transport workers. Exposures reported for men compared to those reported for women showed that a much higher proportion of males were exposed to one or more carcinogens at work, particularly those who hold a trade and are residing in diffrent areas.
⯐ General Advice:
Treatment can be more effective when cancer is found early. Keep an eye out for any unusual changes to your body, such as:
◉ Lumpiness or a thickened area in your breasts, any changes in the shape or colour of your breasts, unusual nipple discharge, a nipple that turns inwards (if it hasn’t always been that way) or any unusual pain
◉ A lump in the neck, armpit or anywhere else in the body
◉ Sores or ulcers that don’t heal
◉ Coughs or hoarseness that won’t go away or coughing up blood
◉ Changes in toilet habits that last more than two weeks, blood in a bowel motion
◉ New moles or skin spots, or ones that have changed shape, size or colour, or that bleed
◉ Unusual vaginal discharge or bleeding
◉ Unexplained weight loss.
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