Although only a film about the cure for cancer, ‘The Medicine Man’ did bring home the need for more research into cancer. Although there are other more awful diseases, this one holds the crown at the moment because of how often it is diagnosed. The problem is we don’t fully understand the causes of cancer although there are many things in our life that can trigger it.
First off it is a good idea to understand exactly what cancer is and try to ascertain whether it is hereditary or something you can acquire. The word is often used by many to explain something that spreads out of control.
They affect many people without them even knowing they are there. As you get older the risk of cancer increases. Most cancers are caused by some form of poison in the cells which creates abnormalities in the genetic makeup of those cells.
To further complicate matters, it can also be the result of problems with faulty genetic codes passed down by parents which means that a person can be born with pre-cancerous cells although faults can also occur with the body’s DNA replication ability. Complex relationships between carcinogens and a person’s genetic makeup may explain why only some develop it after exposure to a known carcinogen.
Owing to the worldwide problem of cancer, it is regularly studied throughout the world and extending our knowledge on the subject. We are always learning more about diseases and how they affect our bodies and minds. By understanding the origins of cancer, perhaps we will be able to avoid contracting it until we come up with a cure.
It is now believed by many that the food we eat could be responsible for many cases. People are generally eating too much of the wrong things such as an excess salt intake, too much saturated fat and certain dairy produce.
No-one is immune from cancer. It can affect anyone at some time in a person’s life. However, mortality rates from cancer are decreasing and although a cure may not be possible, there are treatments available to slow its spread. All this research is gradually leading towards more effective treatments for cancer and it is not always the terminal disease it used to be.
