“My family is cursed!”
In 1895, a young seamstress in the United States dragged a doctor and wept tearfully, that her family was cursed, and generations died of cancer .
From her great-grandfather, cancer came to this unfortunate family one after another. The great-grandfather died of cancer, and the great-grandfather had a total of 9 children, 6 of whom were killed by cancer. The young seamstress was terrified that she would also get cancer.
However, the fate of the seamstress is still unfolding, and the seamstress eventually suffers from metastatic endometrial cancer at a young age. passed away. Out of sympathy for the seamstress, this “magic” also caught the attention of the doctor, who collected all the cancer records in the family (48 people had cancer, 17 died of cancer or had surgery for cancer), Then a paper was published.
The paper caused an uproar in the medical community at the time, and the unfortunate family was named “G Family”, and the doctor was later known as >Dr. Warthin of “Father of Cancer Genetics”. Now more than 100 years have passed, and the curse of the G family still seems to have not been broken. In 2000, the total population of the G family reached 929, 115 people were diagnosed with cancer, and the average life expectancy was only 45 years old.
From the story of the G family, it is not difficult to see that cancer and heredity are closely related. At present, many people think that cancer is caused by genes. Yes, there is no way to hide. What is the connection between cancer and genes?
First, new research: only 5% of cancers are genetic, environmental and metabolic factors are more important
In the past few centuries, a combination of all The causes of cancer can theoretically be divided into three categories: the first category is hereditary diseases, which are mainly caused by genes. The second category of environmental diseases is exposure, mainly related to things that the body comes into contact with. The third category of metabolic diseases, belonging to the metabolome, is the chemical products produced during the process of metabolism.
A recent study published in Metabolites by Canadian researchers showed that hereditary cancers account for 5%-10% of all cancers, and 90% %-95% of cancers are caused by exposure to things around you. These factors, in turn, lead to mutations in genes. David Wishart, professor in the Departments of Biological Sciences and Computer Science at the University of Alberta, said that Cancer can be inherited, but not by mutation alone. Cancer cells spread and develop in the body, they can create a suitable environment for their own development in the body, and introduce certain metabolites, and then become self-growth.
Parents and elders have cancer and carry cancer genes, and their children may not have cancer. Wang Ning, deputy director of the Beijing Cancer Prevention and Research Office, said that cancer is a chronic, non-communicable disease. Most cancers are not caused by genetics, but are related to smoking, drinking, infectious diseases and radiation. .
In general, we should pay more attention to the external risk factors of cancer than the problem of cancer heredity. For example, in some families, it is easy to have a common cancer environment.
Second, easily overlooked causes of cancer in families—environment
1. Common bad eating habits
If some people in the family like to eat foods such as bacon and pickled vegetables, it will lead to the formation of family eating habits and structure. Long-term consumption of these foods will cause cancer of the digestive tract. In addition, if you often eat moldy or spoiled food, it will also lead to an increased risk of liver cancer and stomach cancer.
2., Household air pollution
Family living in a relatively small environment, if there is a certain carcinogen in the room, such as oil smoke, or Some people smoke, etc., coupled with poor ventilation conditions, the family breathes polluted air for a long time, which has become the cause of cancer in the family.
Third, focus: family members have these cancers, please be careful
《2020 According to the World Cancer Report, about one-sixth of all global deaths each year are due to cancer. Although the pathogenesis of cancer is not fully understood, there are many cancers that have been shown to be genetically related, so you should be careful if someone in your family has the following five cancers.
1. Ovarian cancer
About 20%-25% of ovarian cancers are genetically related. A family history of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and ovarian cancer is associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer in women than in the general population.
2. Colorectal cancer
If a parent develops colorectal cancer due to familial colon polyps, the child will suffer from The chance of colorectal cancer is 50% higher.
3. Gastric cancer
Gastric cancer has obvious family aggregation, and the history of gastric cancer in immediate family is a risk factor for gastric cancer. People with a family history of gastric cancer are 2-3 times more likely to develop gastric cancer than the general population.
4. Liver cancer
Liver cancer is familial, and it is possible to develop hepatitis B due to mother-to-child transmission before the child is born. If the parents are found to have liver cancer , then the children should pay attention.
5. Breast cancer
About 5%-10% of breast cancers are related to genetic inheritance. If the family If one of the middle-aged mothers or siblings develops breast cancer, then the daughters or sisters are about three times more likely to develop breast cancer than others.
4. Please keep your anti-cancer prescriptions
Cancer is not impossible to prevent! Academician Sun Yan of the Chinese Academy of Engineering is a famous tumor prevention and treatment expert in China. At the age of 93, he has shared the general “anti-cancer prescription” many times, and Xiao Ai has sorted out the key points to share with you.
1. Control diet
< p>High-calorie, high-fat and high-sugar foods have always been loved by everyone. As everyone knows, these foods also suit the appetite of “tumor gentlemen”. Obesity has developed into a social problem, and obesity makes you The organs in the body are under far more pressure than the original ones. Once the organs can’t bear it, the body will resist and induce diseases, including cancer. Therefore, to keep your mouth shut, eat seventy percent full >, develop good eating habits.
2. Non-smoking
Smoking is the primary risk factor for lung cancer. It will also lead to more innocent “second-hand smoke” lung cancer patients. The harm of smoking is no less than that of traffic accidents. We must control smoking like Drinking and driving.
3, Don’t stay up late
One of the best ways to prevent cancer is to ensure regular and adequate sleep. Adults need about 7-8 hours of sleep a day. It is time to sleep or not. A serious lack of sleep affects the immune system the most, followed by the digestive system and mental activity, and finally the cardiovascular, endocrine, liver and kidney functions.
4. Less angry
Long-term negative emotions will cause the body to produce a stress response, and if the stress response is too strong, it will reduce the body’s immunity and cause cancer. Cells have an opportunity. Because the pace of life is accelerating now, everyone is burdened with different pressures. It is recommended not to be angry, to be a “heartless” person, and to have a healthy body only when you have a happy spirit. .
5. Frequent physical examinations
If there is a high incidence of tumors, regular physical examinations must be performed. If there is a problem, it is also in the early stage. Active treatment can be effectively controlled. . Physical examination can give us a clear understanding of our physical condition and can detect early cancer and precancerous lesions. Precancerous lesions are not cancers, but they are prone to cancerous changes on this basis. As long as precancerous lesions and early cancer are controlled, the incidence and mortality of cancer can be greatly reduced.
Although cancer is said to be genetically related, this association is not 100%! Regardless of whether there is a family history of cancer, adopting a healthy lifestyle in daily life and sticking to physical examinations can help reduce the risk of cancer.
References:
[1]Metabolomics and the Multi-Omics View of Cancer.Metabolites 2022, 12(2), 154
[2]Wang Donglin , Yi Lin. Talk about the infection and heredity of cancer[J].Family Medicine.Medical Selection,2021(07):14-15.
[3]Cheng Xiao. Academician Sun Yan: I There are five “prescriptions for cancer prevention” [J]. Love, Marriage and Family. Health, 2017(07):6-7
[4]Can cancer be inherited and contagious? Guangming.2019.4.24