The killer most dreaded by us human is none other than cancer. Notwithstanding the fact that everybody is well aware of its lethal repercussions, cancer remains top of the list of the major causes of death year after year. Even though numerous approaches have hitherto been adopted to prevent cancer from wreaking its havoc the present day medical fraternity is still at its wit's end finding an effective cure.
In Malaysia alone, about 30,000 new cases of cancer are being registered every year. According to the medical records compiled by he Health Ministry of Malaysia, the most common types of cancer affecting
Malaysian males are
colorectal cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, leukaemia (cancer of the blood), lymphatic cancer, laryngeal cancer and liver cancer while
Malaysian females are most vulnerable to
breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, leukaemia and lung cancer.
In What Ways Do Cancer Cells Threaten Life?
The human body is made up of body cells. Normal body cells are typified by specific size, life expectancy, function, and rate of multiplying.
On the other hand, cancerous cells
divide in an erratic manner and tend to
grow uncontrollably.
Worse yet, cancerous cells can
theoretically 'live on forever' under normal circumstances. When the cancerous cells begin to multiply in the human body, their repercussions are so obscure in the
initial stage that they usually go
undetected. As they continue to engage in a colonial expansion that knows no bounds they start to
squeeze at the normal healthy cells causing untold damage to the latter. By the time the observable symptoms of cancer eventually rear their ugly head, the cancer cells have
already done sufficient damage to pose serious health concerns.
Causes of Cancer
The causes of cancer are varied and extensive. Among others;
genetic factors, environmental pollution, excessive intake of foods with high contents of carcinogenic substances, unhealthy living habits and even the
excitation by certain bacteria and viruses can bring about the cancer.
In the wake of worsening ecological and environmental deteriorations, we are becoming ever more exposed to surroundings that are prone to causing cancer. Air pollution, skin damage due to excessive exposure potentially trigger the onset of cancer growth. Besides, the
rising infiltration of unsafe food into the consumer market, the contamination of fruits and vegetables as a result of the indiscriminate use of farm chemicals, smoked and barbequed foods,
using the same oil repeatedly for deep frying and various known and unknown sources of carcinogenic substances that have found their way into our stomach have become a constant threat to our health. Worse yet, following close on the heels of these to inflict even greater harm and assaults on our body are
artificial colourings, preservatives, saccharin, borax and an endless list of other food additives.
The co-relation between cancerous diseases and
unhealthy living habits such as burning the midnight oil and having diets of imbalanced nutrition, can be even more striking. In particular, females are more vulnerable in this aspect due to their love for hair dyeing, nail polishing and the likes. While exposure to the chemical content of these substances may not be obvious in the short term, the
cumulative effects of the toxins can truly be very horrifying.
