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[Nickbat]

Aha! The build-up to more regulation aimed at controlling our lifestyles. You can see it coming.

 

[scimmy_man]

probably true.

[albitz]

I dont think its complete bolox tbh. I think there is a certain amount of truth in it. As Phil mentioned, the chemical industry is partly to blame - certain chemicals are proven carcinogenics, and they can get into the food chain or be present in the air we breathe. Nicotine is another example. People who are exposed to high levels of radiation have a higher chance of malignant brain tumours. Modern processed food is a prime suspect in the cause of cancers in the digestive system, and the contraceptive pill has long been suspected to contribute to breast cancer in woman.
There are of course other factors, such as genetics etc. its probably a case of if you are unlucky enough to be exposed to some of the causes and you are also physically predisposed for whatever reason, then you get it.
Apparently one in three of us will have Cancer during our lifetime. I doubt this was true in the 18th or 19th centuries.
Personally I tend to eat healthy food - home grown veg, meat from local farms etc. wether or not it will do any good remains to be seen. There have been an extraordinary number of people in my family circle who have died of Cancer. Many of them younger than I am now.

[cem_devecioglu]

I dont think its complete bolox tbh. I think there is a certain amount of truth in it. As Phil mentioned, the chemical industry is partly to blame - certain chemicals are proven carcinogenics, and they can get into the food chain or be present in the air we breathe. Nicotine is another example. People who are exposed to high levels of radiation have a higher chance of malignant brain tumours. Modern processed food is a prime suspect in the cause of cancers in the digestive system, and the contraceptive pill has long been suspected to contribute to breast cancer in woman.
There are of course other factors, such as genetics etc. its probably a case of if you are unlucky enough to be exposed to some of the causes and you are also physically predisposed for whatever reason, then you get it.Apparently one in three of us will have Cancer during our lifetime. I doubt this was true in the 18th or 19th centuries.
Personally I tend to eat healthy food - home grown veg, meat from local farms etc. wether or not it will do any good remains to be seen. There have been an extraordinary number of people in my family circle who have died of Cancer. Many of them younger than I am now.

 

[jerry]

like cem, I agree with Albs. Stupidly I smoke and I wish I had more willpower to stop. This year alone I have known 4 relatives and work friends who have had cancer. Very sadly one died last week. Smoking undoubtedly is not good for you (not least because of all the chemicals in it) but you dont have to have ever smoked to die of cancer. I also recall, when I worked as an auxillary nurse many years ago, several old boys who had been through the Great War who always had their daily fix of players and a tot of whiskey in the evening and were well into their 80s . I think that the very term "cancer" is used to cover a range of cell malfunctions. Undoubtedly a lot of what we have done with our food chain over the years has not helped, but then again, do we not live longer now on average than we did in the past? Life is for the living and all that, but some sensible precautions shouldnt go amiss.

[Entwood]

There are many more complications to this topic than most folks realise, and research does not always find answers... often only more problems...

I'll use one as an example....

Some years ago an investigation into "clusters" of one type of cancer found that it occured where a certain type of rock (granite) was present. The results seemed to prove that radon - a radioactive gas - might be "seeping" from the rocks and causing an increased rate of cancer. The problem was... why was this occuring now, when folks had lived in these areas for many years without problems. Also, why did it not occur in other areas where the same rocks formations were present.

A theory was eventually produced that many said was rubbish ... that being that the cases of cancer were only appearing in "new build" areas and not older houses.

Some years later that theory was actually proved correct !!  What actually happened was that in "old" houses the draughts and ill fitting doors/windows/thatched roofs the radon levels never built up. "Modern" houses with double glazing/central heating etc etc were actualy "trapping" the gases inside so the exposure of the occupants was increased.

The gas has not changed.. it has always been there.. and always will...  but our "modern" way of live has changed the way we interact with it.. and now cancers form because of it.

My guess is.... the same is occuring in many other areas... for example ... processed foods now expose us to things we never met years ago ... preservatives/colourings/ "flavour enhancers" (?) etc etc.

I don't think the cancers are "man made" ... but possibly "man has increased the exposure" .... 

[Kevin Wood]

About the only thing the Daily Mail haven't claimed causes cancer is... reading the daily mail.

I'm no doctor but I suspect a lot of it has to do with life expectancy. I doubt many ancient Egyptians lived far into their 40's. Very few people suffer from cancer below this age so should we necessarily be surprised that there is little evidence of mummies dying of cancer?

The longer you life the more cells reproduce and mutate and the higher the chances are of mutations causing uncontrolled cell growth.

Yes, a third of us will suffer from cancer, but I suspect in many of those people it will strike in old age around their natural end of life anyway. It's simply one of the limiting factors in how long the human body can survive. We have eliminated so many other causes of mortality that we are starting to see its' significance.

Yes, excesses of modern life have something to play in people contracting cancer relatively early in life, I'm sure, but I bet that doesn't account for that many of the third of us who will get it. Just my gut feeling.

Kevin

[Del Boy]

We're on takeaways & toast nearly everyday now, but we're are gyming it of late 

[albitz]

Not sure I agree Kevin. I can probably think of at least 10 relatives who have had it and almost all of them were in the 30  - 45 age group.

[geoffr70]

In large enough amounts, anything can kill you .. water, for example.

Or you could live a pious life of vegetables and water, and get run over by a bus tomorrow..

Life is just one big game of chance.

Agreed, but there are lots of factors that are under our control, so much so that we can greatly reduce or increase our chances of getting cancer, or other things.

I could be killed by a maniac tomorrow, I'm still planning for my future though!

I could get cancer, but there are lots of things I can do (and do btw), or don't do to hopefully not get it. I'm the healthiest person i know, because I fully understand how important health is, and would hate to be without it!

[geoffr70]

About the only thing the Daily Mail haven't claimed causes cancer is... reading the daily mail.

I'm no doctor but I suspect a lot of it has to do with life expectancy. I doubt many ancient Egyptians lived far into their 40's. Very few people suffer from cancer below this age so should we necessarily be surprised that there is little evidence of mummies dying of cancer?

The longer you life the more cells reproduce and mutate and the higher the chances are of mutations causing uncontrolled cell growth.

Yes, a third of us will suffer from cancer, but I suspect in many of those people it will strike in old age around their natural end of life anyway. It's simply one of the limiting factors in how long the human body can survive. We have eliminated so many other causes of mortality that we are starting to see its' significance.

Yes, excesses of modern life have something to play in people contracting cancer relatively early in life, I'm sure, but I bet that doesn't account for that many of the third of us who will get it. Just my gut feeling.

Kevin

Fully agree with this too. I also think it is natures way of killing us off. What purpose would it serve to live on? Ones selfishness?

We need to die to allow the race to move on.

[Vamps]

In large enough amounts, anything can kill you .. water, for example.

Or you could live a pious life of vegetables and water, and get run over by a bus tomorrow..

Life is just one big game of chance.

Agreed, but there are lots of factors that are under our control, so much so that we can greatly reduce or increase our chances of getting cancer, or other things.

I could be killed by a maniac tomorrow, I'm still planning for my future though!

I could get cancer, but there are lots of things I can do (and do btw), or don't do to hopefully not get it. I'm the healthiest person i know, because I fully understand how important health is, and would hate to be without it!

A healthy Makem, that has to be a first, congratulations......

[Kevin Wood]

Not sure I agree Kevin. I can probably think of at least 10 relatives who have had it and almost all of them were in the 30  - 45 age group.

Like I say, I don't claim to be an expert. Just an idea for the melting pot. I guess we all have different experiences which change the way we perceive it. :-/

Kevin

[damon80]

I am a firm believer in the fact that there's a cancer gene - they just haven't found it yet.

All my grandparents smoked since being arond 12 years old.  All lived into their late 70's, and none of them died of a "smoking related" illness.

A mate of mine, who was 17, used to do karate.  He got a stray kick in the wedding-tackle, and went on to develop testiclar cancer.  Fortunately, it's since been sorted.

How many of us know someone who's abused their bodies for years (be it through smoking, drinking,or anything along those lines), and seem to live forever, and then you get somebody who lives the healthy lifestyle (like Tunnie's mate) and then gets struck down before their time?

I know it's not fair, and defies logic, hence my theory

[cem_devecioglu]

There are many more complications to this topic than most folks realise, and research does not always find answers... often only more problems...

I'll use one as an example....

Some years ago an investigation into "clusters" of one type of cancer found that it occured where a certain type of rock (granite) was present. The results seemed to prove that radon - a radioactive gas - might be "seeping" from the rocks and causing an increased rate of cancer. The problem was... why was this occuring now, when folks had lived in these areas for many years without problems. Also, why did it not occur in other areas where the same rocks formations were present.

A theory was eventually produced that many said was rubbish ... that being that the cases of cancer were only appearing in "new build" areas and not older houses.

Some years later that theory was actually proved correct !!  What actually happened was that in "old" houses the draughts and ill fitting doors/windows/thatched roofs the radon levels never built up. "Modern" houses with double glazing/central heating etc etc were actualy "trapping" the gases inside so the exposure of the occupants was increased.
The gas has not changed.. it has always been there.. and always will...  but our "modern" way of live has changed the way we interact with it.. and now cancers form because of it.

My guess is.... the same is occuring in many other areas... for example ... processed foods now expose us to things we never met years ago ... preservatives/colourings/ "flavour enhancers" (?) etc etc.

I don't think the cancers are "man made" ... but possibly "man has increased the exposure" .... 

phew.. really interesting!