Did you know that an estimated 1,735,350 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed within the United States and a further 609,640 of these cases will prove to be fatal?
It’s safe to say that every person on the globe has been affected, or knows someone close to them who has been affected with the dreaded ‘C’ word, cancer.
This disease is synonymous with dread and despair, with millions of people being directly affected by diagnosis of this disease.
Alas, we have outlined the most interesting facts about cancer and its causes this year! Learn the craziest facts of this year in this article!
1. Alcohol as a Cause of Cancer
Numerous studies show a very evident link between alcohol and cancer. There is a major link between alcohol consumption and cancer deaths.
In 2009 alone, about 20,000 cancer deaths were as a result of alcohol, and in 2020, these numbers will just have increased.
Alcohol is linked to a shorter lifespan and can show on average a shorter life of around 18 years. We know that alcohol is a carcinogen. With the higher risk of cancer due to alcohol consumption, it’s important to note that a glass of wine per day is not what we’re talking about. If you consume more than 1.5 drinks per day, you’re in the bracket of heeding the consequences.
Alcohol and cancer deaths are linked to breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and liver cancer.
2. Diesel Exhaust Fumes as a Cause of Cancer
Every person has that strange person who claims to love the smell of diesel when filling their vehicle, but this is not a good thing!
Diesel exhaust fumes are directly linked to increasing the risk of lung cancer. There has been sufficient evidence that exposure to diesel exhaust fumes is associated with an increase in the risk of lung cancer.
3. Inadequate Dental Care as a Cause of Cancer
Yes, we’ve heard it countless times throughout our lives, are you flossing? Are you brushing your teeth twice per day?
We know dental hygiene is important, but we didn’t realize that inadequate dental hygiene has been linked to an increase in colorectal and lung cancer.
4. Managing Your Stress Correctly
In 2020, any person managing a family-life, work-life, and social life will find themselves suffering from stress. It’s unavoidable in our fast-paced lifestyle.
But not managing your stress levels correctly can lead to cancer.
How? You might ask.
Well, people who are under pressure and feeling stressed will most likely take to unhealthy habits to ease their tension. These habits often include smoking, drinking and other unhealthy habits.
These are the factors that can lead to an increase in the chance of being diagnosed with cancer.
5. Suffering From Sunburn
There really was a reason for our mother’s unreasonable, insistent need to smother us in sunscreen every time we hit the pool or the beach.
The melanoma linked to sunburn is what causes the diagnosis of skin cancer.
As little as being sunburnt just once in every two year period can be enough to increase the likelihood of this.
You also need to avoid artificial UV light, lying on that sunbed can also cause skin cancer, so be careful!
6. Bodyweight Linked to Cancer
Being overweight is about more than self-esteem and confidence issues.
About 8% of cancer diagnosis in the United States has been directly linked to excess body weight, reportedly.
Excess body weight during different stages of life makes a difference though. It’s been reported that obesity during a person’s teenage years is more likely to increase the likelihood of cancer than gaining weight later in life.
Watch that weight if you’re able and maintain a physical workout schedule as well as healthy eating as best as you can to avoid this.
7. Frequency of Ejaculation
Not that you should need a reason to climax, but there’s a direct link to more frequent ejaculation and a lower risk of prostate cancer.
In one study, men who ejaculated up to 20 times per month had a 31% decrease in their risk of prostate cancer.
The thought process behind this science is that frequent ejaculation rids the male body of unwanted toxins irritants.
8. HPV Can Cause Cervical Cancer
HPV (the Human Papilloma Virus) is one of the major causes of cervical cancer.
Did you know that there are just over 100 types of HPV, and it’s been proven that at least 14 of these can cause cancer?
Basically, HPV is one of the most common viral infections that can occur in the reproductive tract. Most importantly, HPV doesn’t only get transmitted through sexual intercourse, it can be transferred through the skin on skin contact too.
Having had an HPV infection means you’re more likely to be left with pre-cancerous lesions which can then lead to cervical cancer.
9. Calm That Sweet Tooth
We know that satisfying out sweet tooth can cause diabetes, but now you know it may potentially lead to cancer as well!
The science behind this fact basically says that:
- Cancer uses sugar as a growth fuel.
- Sugar can actively damage cells within your body, an increase in damaged cells means you’re more likely to have a body that allows cancer to make a home.
Eating less sugar, and including more fruits and vegetables is a surefire way to decrease your risk for cancer diagnosis.
10. Steering Clear of Home-Use Chemicals
Is there, without a doubt, a direct connection between home-use chemicals, garden herbicides, and cancer? No, there isn’t.
However, with the debate still in the air, should we rule out that these chemicals we keep and use regularly could potentially be increasing our chance of being diagnosed with cancer?
We think we should be on the safe side. Read the safety labels on everything you buy, make sure you’re knowledgable about the ingredients in each one and what their side effects might be.
Mostly, herbicides with glyphosate in them are the ones to worry about. If you’re using Roundup at home, then you need to know about the truths about Roundup and cancer.
Facts About Cancer 2020
Ultimately, if you’re looking to know the facts about cancer backward, then you’re in for a surprise. With science ever-evolving, facts changing and scientific studies being done regularly, the facts are always changing.
Stay in tune with the news and read up on as many scientific studies as you can.
We’ve got you covered though, simply type ‘cancer’ into our search bar, and you’ll come up with great content to keep you up to date.
Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.
