ORLANDO, Fla. — Cancer is the second leading cause of death, after heart disease. There are more than 14 million new cases diagnosed globally each year.
We all know some habits like smoking or suntanning increases your risk of getting it…but what are some of the hidden causes of cancer? About 38 percent of all people will have cancer at some point during their lives.
There are plenty of theories about what causes it. But what does the research really say? One proven cause: air pollution.
It’s to blame for more than 220 thousand lung cancer deaths worldwide each year. And there’s also a link between pollution and the risk of bladder cancer. Another culprit: excess weight.
Researchers believe being overweight and obese causes about eight percent of all cancers. A recent study also found postmenopausal women who lost weight saw a decrease in angiogenesis markers. Those are proteins that promote cancer.
Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, told Ivanhoe, “We were surprised at how much reduction and the significant of it in these markers. Between ten and 20 percent reduction.”
Red, processed, or barbequed meat can also increase your risk of developing cancer. Research shows just one hot dog a day could boost your odds of colon cancer. Indoor tanning is thought to cause more than 400 thousand cases of skin cancer each year.
And exposure to radon gas, can trigger lung cancer. With things that could really cause cancer. Exposure to high doses of radiation can also lead to cancer.
Research shows that the rate of breast cancer in female flight attendants is 50 percent higher than that of women in other professions and their rate of non-melanoma skin cancer is four-times higher.
Researchers believe exposure to more ionizing radiation at high altitudes could be the reason for this elevated risk.
