“If you have a tumor, does that mean you have cancer?”, “Is the occurrence of cancer related to bad living habits?” Here comes the truth!

gossip

The International Union Against Cancer has designated February 4th of each year as "World Cancer Day", and "cancer" has once again entered everyone's sight. In this era when cancer is feared, many people believe that "a tumor means cancer", and there are also rumors that "the occurrence of cancer is related to bad living habits"?

So, is this the truth?

analyze

In general, tumors and cancer are related but also clearly different. The two cannot be confused. In daily life, if a doctor tells someone that they have cancer, it means they have a malignant tumor; but if they say they have a tumor, it does not necessarily mean they have cancer. It is very likely to be a benign tumor. It is just that among all the malignant tumors that need to be treated, cancer is the most common, so people take it for granted that tumors are cancer.

The gold standard for determining whether a tumor is benign or malignant is pathological examination.

The biggest difference between the two is that benign tumors tend to grow slowly and have clear borders.

Malignant tumors grow relatively fast and have the ability to infiltrate and metastasize. Whether it is a benign tumor or a malignant tumor, it should be treated as soon as possible after discovery.

How are malignant tumors classified?

The scope of malignant tumors is wider than that of cancer, and they are mainly divided into several categories based on their sources:

1. Cancer: a malignant tumor that occurs from epithelial tissue, such as commonly known as lung cancer, breast cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, etc.

2. Sarcoma: It is relatively rare. It is a malignant tumor that arises from the mesenchymal or connective tissue (muscle, blood, bone, connective tissue), such as osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, etc. 90% of malignant tumors are cancers.

3. Others.

The relationship between tumors and cancer:

Tumor = benign tumor + malignant tumor + borderline tumor

Malignant tumor = cancer + sarcoma + others such as leukemia, etc.

A paper published in Lancet Oncology shows that 1.19 million young people (aged 15-39) were newly diagnosed with cancer in 2019. The media also frequently reports on young people suffering from advanced cancer.

Why do young people also get cancer? Many people are usually healthy, but when they get sick, they may get cancer. What is the reason? Is it related to a bad lifestyle?

Let us work together to uncover the hidden culprit of cancer!

The occurrence of cancer is simply the result of the combined effects of three factors:

Genetic genes, acquired environment, and accidental factors. In real life, we often see family members suffering from the same cancer one after another, or brothers and sisters suffering from similar cancers. It is true that some people, including young people, are "born" more likely to develop cancer than others, because they may have inherited cancer genes from their parents.

Cancer inheritance is different from the common hereditary diseases that people often talk about. A pathogenic mutation in a gene may cause multiple cancers. For example, a mutation in the BRCA1/2 gene may cause breast cancer and ovarian cancer, and there may be a phenomenon where multiple people in a family suffer from different cancers. A large number of gene mutations occur in our bodies every day, which may increase the probability of cancer. Gene mutations are determined by the essential laws of biology. If you inherit a cancer-causing gene, the risk will become higher!

Therefore, the following people need tumor genetic counseling:

1. Close relatives in the family have a history of related tumors;

2. Family members and patients themselves were relatively young when they became ill;

3. Suffering from multiple tumors, or tumors that appear in pairs (such as bilateral breast cancer);

4. Abnormalities of other systems: such as dark spots on the skin and mucous membranes, polyps in the digestive tract, etc.;

5. Rare tumors, such as breast cancer in male relatives;

6. Family history of known hereditary tumor syndromes, such as Lynch syndrome, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome.

Risk is relative. If you have a family history, the risk is higher. However, because lifestyle changes bring about changes in overall risk, you should be vigilant even if you do not have obvious high-risk factors. Because hereditary tumors only account for about 5-10% of all tumor cases, and tumors caused by environmental factors account for as high as 90-95%. We can't do anything about hereditary factors, but we can reduce the risk of cancer by changing our lifestyle.

Here are 10 tips to reduce your cancer risk:

1. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption

Do not smoke, including electronic cigarettes. Stay away from second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke.

Drinking any amount of alcohol increases the risk of cancer, including colorectal cancer, breast cancer, oral cancer, pharyngeal cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancer and stomach cancer. It is better to drink as little as possible. The safe dose of alcohol is 0, and it is healthier not to drink at all.

2. Healthy diet

The total salt intake per person per day should not exceed 5 grams.

Eat more plant foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, limit refined foods, and eat more whole grains. Plant foods can provide the body with the fiber vitamins, minerals and antioxidants it needs to stay healthy.

Limit red meat and processed meat. Red meat includes beef, pork, and lamb. Processed meat includes any meat preserved by smoking, curing, or salting, as well as meat with added chemical preservatives, such as ham, sausage, beef jerky, etc.

3. Healthy weight

Maintaining a healthy weight and waist circumference can reduce the risk of several cancers, including breast cancer, colon cancer, endometrial cancer, and liver cancer.

For waist circumference, keep in mind the "8580" principle, which means that among standard weight, men's waist circumference should be controlled within 85 cm, and women's waist circumference should not exceed 80 cm.

4. Exercise

It is recommended to sit less and actively exercise. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical exercise per week.

5. Drink plenty of water

In mild climates, adult men with light physical activity levels should drink 1.7 liters of water per day, and adult women should drink 1.5 liters of water per day. Try to choose boiled water and avoid sugary drinks.

6. Happy mood

Emotions that are closely related to cancer are frustration, depression, helplessness, etc. You should release stress and vent your negative emotions through communicating with others, traveling, etc.

7. Regular work and rest schedule

Lack of sleep can cause endocrine disorders in the human body, leading to abnormal cell metabolism, affecting the normal division of human cells and causing cell mutations. It is recommended to go to bed before 23:00 to prepare for sleep.

8. Vaccination

Some cancers are caused by persistent infections with viruses, bacteria, etc., including human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and Helicobacter pylori (HP). Vaccination with HPV and hepatitis B vaccines is one of the most effective ways to prevent related infections.

9. Stay away from poison

Stay away from chemical carcinogens, radiation, etc.

10. Regular screening

Screening can detect certain cancers and precancerous lesions at an early stage, so that better and more effective treatment can be started earlier. Early detection and early treatment can effectively reduce the risk of death from cancer.

Different cancer high-risk groups have different physical examination methods, such as:

Lung cancer: low-dose spiral CT of the chest.

Breast cancer: mammography + ultrasound.

Liver cancer: ultrasound + alpha-fetoprotein test.

Colorectal cancer: colonoscopy.

Gastric cancer, esophageal cancer: gastroscopy.

in conclusion

1. Most people think that tumors are cancer, and cancer is tumors. From a professional point of view, there is still a big difference between these two terms. Cancer is indeed a tumor, but a tumor is not necessarily cancer. Not all diseases with the word "cancer" in their names are cancer, and not all diseases with "tumor" in their names are benign tumors.

2. The occurrence of cancer is caused by the combined effects of three factors: genetic genes, acquired environment, and accidental factors. The key to whether you are at high risk of cancer is to look at family medical history and genetic genes. Therefore, it is very important to understand the cancer occurrence of your first- and second-degree relatives. The occurrence of cancer is also the result of the accumulation of multiple gene mutations, and many factors may cause mutations, such as smoking, alcoholism, and staying up late.

3. Life has countless choices and opportunities, and health is the ticket. Prevention is more important than treatment. It is recommended that people develop a healthy lifestyle and have regular physical examinations.

The author is an associate chief physician, a speaker for the Healthy China Action, a registered dietitian, and a health manager