Why isn’t there a cure for cancer yet? This is a question that is one many people’s minds, particularly if cancer has affected them or a loved one. There are several reasons why there is yet to be a cure for cancer, yet there is hope for the future.
Cancer – Not What It Seems
Many people are unaware of the fact that everyone has cancer cells in their body. The immune system does a good job of fighting off the effects of these cells, but they can develop into a case of cancer when they get out of control.
How Does Cancer Develop?
Cancer is not a single disease, so much as a family of related diseases. Understanding how cancer develops makes it easier to understand the need for a cure.
• Cancer cells continue developing despite the effects of the immune system
• When these cells continue dividing, they overwhelm the immune system
• Under normal circumstances, damaged cells leave the body – in cancer patients, they remain
• Under normal circumstances, damaged cells leave the body – in cancer patients, they remain
• Unnecessary cells still continue to form, leading to cancer
Some Statistics and Facts
Just in the US, cancer is the second-leading cause of death. Half of all men and a third of women will get a cancer diagnosis sometime during their lifetime.
Over a million new cancer cases were expected to be diagnosed in 2016. That same year, nearly 600,000 were expected to die from cancer.
Fossil records indicate that osteosarcoma was found 1.7 million years ago. Around 3000 BC, scrolls in ancient Egypt referenced breast cancer, and Hippocrates coined the term carcinoma between 460 to 370 BC.
What Causes Cancer?
With over 100 different types of cancer, it is important to know the risk factors. Only about 15 percent of cancers have any hereditary links.
• Carcinogens, found in cigarettes, certain chemicals, and food items, increase your risk
• HIV, HPV, and hepatitis increase the risk of certain cancers
• Typical Western diets high in red meat, saturated fat and sugar actually feed cancer cells
Several Other Factors
Other factors that make finding a cure a challenge:
• The immune system doesn’t distinguish between cancer and non-cancer cells
• Each type of cancer requires different treatment
• Different types of cancer can form in the same body area and all cancers can spread
However, DNA research advancements are opening up new possibilities. One day, we might not have to ask why cancer has no cure.
