Cancer is the name given to all tumours known as malignant, which grow rapidly and tend to spread to different parts of the body.
Cancer touches everyone, male or female, young or old, without distinction. As it exists in various forms one tends to speak more broadly of cancers rather than cancer. However, in its general form, cancer is a disease characterised by the anarchic proliferation of cells within normal tissue of the body. These cells are derived from the same clone, the initiating cancer cell which has acquired certain characteristics that enable it to divide itself indefinitely and form metastases.
In concrete terms, cancer is a general term for designating any disease for which certain cells of the human body divide themselves in an uncontrolled way. The new cells that result from this can form a malignant tumour or neoplasm or spread themselves throughout the entire body. One can distinguish several forms of cancer: breast, colon, uterus, skin, prostate…
There are several factors that predispose someone to cancer; they are called carcinogenic or cancerogenic. They can be genetic, i.e. have a hereditary element, or environmental, due to pollution, food, radiations (notably the sun), and infections via certain germs.
Tobacco is an extremely high risk factor for certain cancers (lung, mouth, larynx, throat, kidney, neck of the womb, intestines...)
Today it has been accepted that cigarette smoking is the main cause of lung cancer (85% of cases), as well as a major cause of throat cancers. The risk is inherent in tobacco, notably in the nicotine which is carcinogenic, and in its additives via whatever method of consumption is used (cigarette, cigar or pipe).
The European HELP programme for fighting against tobacco can bring you a lot of information and support for giving up smoking.
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