The Causes of Lung Cancer - Essay Example

first Institute: Cancer Cancer can affect any part of the body and has been linked to a variety of causes. The most commonly occurring cancers are that of the lung, breast, ovaries, prostate, colon, esophagus, and leukemia (Corner, 3). Cancer impacts the physiology as well as the psychology of the patients and their families to a large extent. The present discourse evaluates a few causes of these commonly occurring cancers and their effects on the patients. Lung cancer is caused by excessive smoking.

Excessive smoking also causes cancers of the mouth, lip, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, bladder, kidney, and stomach (Rockhill & Colditz, 7). Smoking is also related to an increased risk for colon cancer. Tobacco is known to contain at least 50% carcinogenic chemicals, which cause cancer within the body when inhaled. Another most prevalent cancer is that of the breast and causative factors are associated with higher average fat consumption besides earlier onset of menstrual periods, lower number of children, and later age of first pregnancy (Hunter & Willett, 17).

Greater fat intake is also associated with higher chances of colon cancer (Hunter & Willett, 19). Hormonal imbalance has been diagnosed as the cause for most cancers related to the reproductive system in women. In women, hormonal imbalance is also associated with obesity and therefore obesity is the cause of cancers related to the ovaries, breasts, and endometrium. However, most oncology professionals believe that the causes for ovarian cancer are unknown and that the chances of ovarian cancers are high in women that did not undergo pregnancy during their fertile period.

Other causes include exposure to carcinogenic chemicals, diet, family history, infections, and even obesity (Balch, 290). Cancer caused by smoking can result in tumor growth in specific organs, which results in dysfunction of the organs. Tumor in the lungs or chest causes weakness, fatigue, improper or painful breathing, difficulty in swallowing, and lumps in the neck. These tumors suppress the blood vessels and block oxygen supply to other organs (Ferreiro & Alcamo, 61). Cancer also causes swelling in surrounding organs and fluid accumulation.

In some cases, cancerous cells affect the other organs in the tumor’s vicinity. Breast cancer among younger women results in severe distress besides the general symptoms. Ovarian cancers can cause a variety of symptoms that include discomfort and/or painless swelling in the lower abdomen, loss of appetite, indigestion or gas, nausea, weight loss, frequent urination, constipation, pain during intercourse, etc (Rosenthal, 77). Effects of leukemia depend upon the type and severity; most commonly it causes paleness, weakness, shortness of breath, weight loss, infections, fever, bruising, slow healing, bones and joints pain, and lymph node swelling (Balch, 288).

All the cancers if untreated can lead to fatality. In short, it is difficult to assign specific causes to specific types of cancers that occur in human beings. Yet, cancer results in a variety of morbidity and even mortality if undetected. Hence, a constant lookout for various symptoms of cancers must be carried out in order to detect and provide timely treatment.