Cancer

• Uncontrolled cell growth and division is the cause of cancer
• Tumours


  • Benign: Stays in one place, not cancerous
  • Malignant: Grows and spreads to neighbouring tissues, cells can spread to other parts of the body, dangerous and can be fatal
• Having risk factors doesn't mean you'll definitely get cancer, it just means you're at an increased risk of developing the disease
• 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 is linked to lung cancer as well as other types of cancer including mouth, bowel, stomach and cervical cancer
• Obesity is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking, and has been linked to many different cancers including bowel, liver and kidney cancer
• People who are often exposed to UV radiation from the Sun have an increased chance of developing skin cancer, including those who live in sunny climates, spend a lot of time outside, and frequently use sun beds
• Infection with some viruses, such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C, can increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer, and the likelihood of becoming infected sometimes depends on lifestyle factors like unprotected sex or sharing needles
• Mutations in the BRCA genes have been linked to an increased likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancer