• Question: how do you get cancer

    Asked by to Andrei, Ekbal, Gemma, Helen, Ruth on 16 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Gemma Marsden

      Gemma Marsden answered on 16 Jun 2014:

      Hi hubbardc,
      this is still something that scientists are trying to work out as different cancers can start in different ways.
      One way is as follows:
      The cells in our body only live for so long and they have their own in built signals to tell them when they are too old. This signal is very tighly controlled, but in some cells the DNA that codes for this signal has mutated. The cell is unable to tell itself when it is too old and does not die. In fact, it carries on and it multiplies (along with that mutation) and can lead to cancer.
      Some of these cells also develop mechanisms that mean they can aviod our immune system (which may destroy the bad cells) and they can change how normal cells mutiply and grow too.
      There are certain activities as humans that we do that may increase our risk of developing cancer . These include – smoking, sunbathing (including sunbeds) and eating unhealthy food.
      Gemma

    • Photo: Helen Gath

      Helen Gath answered on 19 Jun 2014:

      Cancer is certainly a complicated topic. Whilst we may have thousands of people across the world studying the cause and effects, and we have learnt a lot, there is still so much more to research and understand.

      I just wanted to add to Gemma’s excellent answer, that sometimes your family’s DNA can affect how susceptible you are to certain cancers. Your DNA does not GIVE you cancer, but it can make you more or less likely to develop certain cancers.

      Your genetic make-up is unique to your family, and will differ from other families. When you are born, you inherit similar genes to you parents and one of these genes might be faulty. A faulty gene can mean you have a much higher chance of developing cancer. Cancers which may be caused by an inherited gene include: breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma.

      But just as Gemma did say, it’s not a simple process so there’s much we still don’t really know. A job for you in the future maybe, Hubbardc??

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