Cancer

• Cancer is Caused by Uncontrolled Cell Growth and Division
• Tumour


  A mass of cells
• Benign tumour


  • Grows until there's no more room
  • Stays in one place (usually within a membrane)
  • Not normally dangerous
  • Not cancerous
• Malignant tumour


  • Grows and spreads to neighbouring healthy tissues
  • Cells can break off and spread to other parts of the body
  • Invades healthy tissues elsewhere and forms secondary tumours
  • Dangerous and can be fatal
  • Cancerous
• Anyone can develop cancer
• Having risk factors doesn't mean that you'll definitely get cancer
• Cancer survival rates have increased due to medical advances such as improved treatment, being able to diagnose cancer earlier and increased screening for the disease
• Lifestyle risk factors for cancer

  • Smoking
  • Obesity
  • UV exposure
  • Viral infection
• Smoking


  Linked to lung cancer, mouth, bowel, stomach and cervical cancer
• Obesity


  Linked to many different cancers, including bowel, liver and kidney cancer
• UV exposure


  • Increases chance of developing skin cancer
  • Higher risk for people who live in sunny climates, spend a lot of time outside, or frequently use sun beds
• Viral infection


  • Infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses can increase the risk of developing liver cancer
  • Likelihood of becoming infected sometimes depends on lifestyle (e.g. unprotected sex, sharing needles)
• Genetic risk factors


  • You can inherit faulty genes that make you more susceptible to cancer
  • Mutations (changes) in the BRCA genes have been linked to an increased likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancer