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OTHER CARCINOGENIC SUBSTANCES

Drugs
Some of the tranquilizers used to treat anxiety, antibiotics, antipyretics, analgesics, etc. may cause malfunction of the liver, possibly even liver cancer. Some anti-cancer medicines are themselves conducive to the formation of carcinomatosis. Chemicals used in agriculture, such as pesticides, are undeniably carcinogenic in nature.

Heredity
Cancers that are recognized to be associated with hereditary factors include carcinomas of the large intestine (converted from familial polyposis of the large intestine) and omentum bud tumors. Some people believe that leukemia, kidney bud cell tumor, and multiple endocrine gland swelling are related to heredity. Other examples are cancers caused by complications of cancer of the large intestine(carcinoma of the stomach, carcinoma of the endometrium, breast cancer, etc.) which strongly associated with genetic factors.

Natural Surroundings and Occupations
Exposure to radiation due to leakage of radioactivity in atomic power station accidents causes skin cancer and leukemia. Skin cancer caused by ultraviolet radiation has aroused much concern in recent years. (We are all constantly exposed to microscopic amounts of radiation from the universe.) Factory smoke, industrial wastes, vehicle emissions, and asbestos dust are all recognized to be carcinogenic. Also, special situations often relate to workers who suffer from a high rate of carcinomas because their duties require that they be exposed to certain carcinogenic chemicals or radiation. Occupation-related diseases have become major public health problems.

Viruses as the cause of cancer
Viruses can cause cancer. Examples are EB virus, which cause malignant lymph tumor cells; C virus, which causes liver cancer; viruses also cause adult T cell leukemia. These viruses are often transmitted through blood and blood products. However, the likelihood of becoming infected with such viruses, since screening for blood transfusion is very stringent. We have also discovered that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV,) the cause of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS may also cause cancer in view of the fact that it suppresses immunity.

Links with sex habits
It can be said that breast and uterine cancer, which are representative of cancer in the female, are associated with female sexual activity and habits. Women who are susceptible to breast cancer share certain major predisposing factors: they were thirty years old at the time of their first pregnancies, they usually have experienced early menarche; they have had delayed menoolipsis; they are overweight; they are single; they have a family history of breast cancer. Major causes of cancer of the uterus are early marriage, multiparity, juvenile sexual behavior, sexual contact with numerous male partners, poor genital hygiene, papular virus infection, and so on. Modern women are more aggressive and more driven than those of traditional societies are. Thus late marriages and late pregnancies are increasing steadily; this contributes to an increased rate in breast cancer. Also contributing to this trend is the disequilibrium in female hormones brought about by contraceptives. On the other hand, there has been a decline in the rate of uterine cancer, which used to be more common.

Cancer incidence is directly related to age, and there is a higher rate of cancer among elderly people. This can be attributed to the accumulation of toxins and carcinogens in the body coupled with the natural decline in immunologic function that accompanies age.

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