Cancer is a deadly disease….not because it always kills, but because of the effect it has on the quality of life of the patient as well as his near and dear ones.

We all are aware that smoking, chewing tobacco , bingeing on alcohol may cause cancer. But are these the only villains in our story?

I have come across many a patients in my clinical, practice who have not touched any of these and have still acquired the deadly disease….and every time I delivered them the diagnosis… I get the same question…How did I get the disease doctor, I have no addictions?

It’s time we started acknowledging or educating people about other factors , factors other than Smoking, alcohol and tobacco consumption which have the possibility of causing this deadly disease.

Are you all aware that those Xrays and CT scans which we so commonly do are actually radiations to your body and have the capacity for causing cancer? Xrays, CT scans and PET scans use ionizing radiation which can damage DNA and cause cancer. (MRI scans and ultrasound) do not use radiation. Although the risk is low, it is the responsibility of the patient as well as the doctor to perform these investigations only when absolutely necessary. Also the risk in children is more as compared to adults.

Many of us are unaware of Radon gas pollution. It is a colorless and odorless has but extremely radioactive. It is released from radioactive decay, fissures in the ground and from soil samples . It is formed from decay of radium. It is heavier than air and hence stays on the ground. It can concentrate in poorly ventilated buildings that are build on radium rich undergrounds, such as granite.

It is an indoor pollutant. They say exposure to Radon is more dangerous than smoking 105 cigarettes. Can cause lung cancer. In India, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and south Karnataka have naturally high levels of Radon pollution due to presence of monoxide sands rich in rare earth elements like Thorium.

Occupational risk factors : Exposure to asbestos, arsenic, chromium, silica, nickel, cadmium ,diesel exhaust can lead to lung cancer Benzene, ionizing radiation and ethylene oxide are important agents for leukemia.

Rubber manufacturing industry workers are at risk of cancer . Rubber is made with myriad chemicals and in the process exposes workers to its chemical byproducts which can be toxic.

Agricultural jobs exposes the people to various chemicals from pesticides and fertilizers, engine exhaust, and even radon . Hence dangerous.

Hairdressers and barbers working with hair dyes. Mechanics working with asbestos which is a leading cause of mesothelioma, a rare but dangerous form of cancer. Also exposed to the same are construction workers.

For manicurists and pedicurists exposure to formalin ( used in hardening nails ) and titanium dioxide ( used in polishes and in powder for artificial nails).

Mining industry .
Cell phones or mobile phones are also a cause of concern as the radio frequency radiation emitted from them have the potential to cause cancer. Although studies supporting these data are lacking ….I would advise you to stay away from the same.

Speaking of radio frequency radiation, HEATING food in the microwave oven is a well recognized form of radio frequency radiation that is known to cause cancer.

Obesity is associated with 13 types of cancers and the two most common among them are breast and prostrate cancer. Isn’t that reason enough to get you out of the bed every morning and exercise?

Human papilloma virus s responsible for almost all cervical cancers as also HPV related Head and neck cancers in men. Inspite of this how many of you have actually taken the HPV vaccination?

When we think of cancer , we all think of only addictions like smoking and alcoholism but there are many more factors associated with our everyday life that we do not even give a thought. We use cell phones unnecessarily, overuse the requirements of Xrays and CT scans, do not think twice before heating food in the microwave several times, do not care about using protection even if our jobs involve continuous exposure to harmful carcinogenic substances. No wonder then that the incidence of cancer cases is on the rise.

For more elaborate information on cancer prevention contact ENT doctor or an ENT specialist near you.